Cast No Shadow: Part 2
by RoutineRiot
Summary: This picks up right where Cast No Shadow left off, with chapter 196. It was just getting too long to keep in one file, hence part 2. This is not a sequel just a continuation. I stronly suggest reading that before this because you will be lost.
1. Chapter 196: What the Fuck Now?

**Chapter 196: What the Fuck Now? **

_"The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action." – John Dewey _

"It's choice – not chance – that determines your destiny." – Jean Nidetch

"It's not a matter of can or cannot, it's a matter of will or will not, everything is a choice, choose wisely." – Unknown

"We are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it to the full." – Marcel Proust

**

* * *

**

Sydney managed to find her way to the main lobby waiting room and was surprised to see not only Will and Francie, but her father and Weiss as well.

"Hi!" she said, hugging her father and smiling at Weiss.

"Hello sweetheart," he said.

"Why…did Will and Francie call you guys?"

Will nodded, "How is he?"

"He's ok…well – I mean, we're waiting on the films yet, but he's sleeping, resting now."

"Excellent," Jack said, "What happened exactly?"

"He had a night terror…and we've been sort of lax with his shoulder. Plus, then he…well – if he wasn't injured before, I think he is now…"

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked.

"Well…the x-ray – didn't go so well at first…but he's ok now…and really, I think he's getting better…he's dealing with things much better now. I'm really proud of him."

"So what do they think is wrong?"

"Well they took x-rays of his chest and his ribs, so the problem is stemming from somewhere around there…he's just in a lot of pain…"

Jack nodded.

Will asked, "Can we go see him? Is he up to company?"

"Not right now, but I think there's a waiting room up there that's closer. When he wakes up then you can come in and say hi."

"Someone should call Amélie," Francie said.

Sydney smacked her hand on her forehead, "Shit…why is it that I never remember to call her?!"

"I'd offer to call Sydney," Francie said, "but I'm sure it would be better coming from you…and I'm sure she understands that you've got a lot on your mind," Francie finished with a soft smile.

Sydney nodded, "I'll show you guys the waiting room, then I'll call Amélie."

The group walked wordlessly to the other waiting room, Sydney assuring them that she'd let them know when Vaughn was awake.

She came back to his room and checked to see if he was still sleeping, finding upon arrival, that he seemed to be in a peaceful slumber. She slipped out once again and ran to the payphone, dialing Amélie's number.

"Hello?" Amélie's voice answered.

"Hi Amélie, it's Sydney."

"Well hello dear! I was wondering when you might call…"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I seem to be really lax when it comes to that…I just…always seem to have things going on."

"It's not a problem Sydney. I was going to call to check in later today anyway. How are you and how is my son doing?"

"Well…that's why I'm calling," Sydney started.

"Oh no," Amélie said, her voice dropping immediately in worry, "Is he alright?"

"We're at the hospital," Sydney started again, but Amélie interrupted.

"The hospital? Which one? I'm on my way…"

"No, Amélie; let me explain…"

There was silence and Sydney took that as her cue to begin, "He's ok…we're just here for x-rays. We don't have any news yet if they found anything, but right now, he's fine."

"Then why is he in the hospital?"

"He woke up in a lot of pain this morning. Tom came over, and we decided that it'd be better to just have the x-ray and make sure everything was ok."

"Well, what's wrong, what happened?"

Sydney sighed, "Michael had a night terror last night. He bolted up in bed and this morning he was in a lot of pain…mainly his ribs and shoulder…"

"A night terror?"

"Yeah, they're different from nightmares, and the people who have them usually don't remember. I can explain later, but I just wanted to let you know what was going on in case you called or anything."

"Thank you…and I'm still on my way."

Sydney chuckled, "We're at the Naval Hospital…"

"I'll leave now."

"Ok Amélie," Sydney said, knowing that like her son, it was useless to argue, "I'll see you later then."

"Thank you for calling Sydney…and see you soon."

Sydney hung up the phone and stood by the payphone smiling at the traits that mother and son shared. She shook her head wistfully and then walked back to Vaughn's room.

He was still sleeping and she took the opportunity to watch him as he slept. She loved the way that his features twitched, the way his breathing picked up when he subconsciously noted her presence. She loved the way his hair got messy when he slept, even messier than normal. She loved seeing his eyelids flutter in sleep, his chest rise and fall, his mouth move in sleep.

She had a sneaking suspicion as to what the x-rays would show, but she tried to reassure herself that no matter what they did show, he'd be in good hands all around.

She didn't have to wait long for her answer, as Tom entered quietly a little while later. He smiled and motioned for her to come out in the hall. She checked Vaughn and then moved out to the hallway.

"Hi," Tom said.

"Hi," Sydney answered, "Did you get the films back yet?"

"Yeah…I've got them here…you wanna go talk about them?"

"Sure," Sydney looked at him and searched his face. A beat, "You found something…"

Tom nodded, "Yeah, let's go in here…" he said, gesturing towards an empty exam room.

"What did you find?"

Tom took a deep breath, "Here," he said putting the film up on the screen and turning on the fluorescent light.

Sydney stared at the image on the screen, "Yeah, I'm good Tom, but I just see a lot of ribs…and…lines…I assume those are cracks?"

"Yeah," Tom said. He pointed to a particular spot on the image, "Here…these two ribs…see that?"

Sydney got closer to the film, "Yeah…what is that?"

"All these lines that you see – those are fractures and separations…"

"Wow," Sydney said, clearly shocked.

"Yeah, these," Tom pointed to every other line, "are all healing…these," he pointed back to the spot from before, "These…are not…or they were – but now, they're re-fractured…and they're dangerously close to puncturing his lung again."

Sydney looked at Tom, "So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we're going to have to operate again…"

"Shit," Sydney said, going to the chair on the opposite side of the room, "Again? I mean…"

"Sydney," Tom started, crossing over to her, "I know this is frustrating…but if we don't operate…he'll just get worse. If it punctures his lung again," he shook his head, "We can't let that happen…do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand Tom…but…What does this mean?"

"Well…what do you mean, what does it mean? It's a fairly simple procedure, it involves–"

"No, Tom, what does this mean for Vaughn – how long will he have to stay? What will this do to him?"

Tom nodded, "If the surgery goes well…and we do it now…he could probably go home tomorrow…best case scenario…"

"And worst?"

"It doesn't go well…or it punctures…then…then it's a whole different ballgame."

Sydney started at him, "What kind of ballgame?"

"We'd be hugely set back…he'd be…back on 100 oxygen…here for days…week…two…"

"That would be completely counter-productive," Sydney said obviously.

"Yes, it would…"

"Well then he has to have the surgery…"

"Yes, he does," Tom agreed.

Sydney sighed, "He's been really good with the oxygen. He's tapering…he goes whole days without it…"

Tom smiled, "I know…and I want to make sure he stays that way…"

"Me too…"

Tom nodded, "Well…then let's tell him…now."

Sydney looked up at Tom, "Ok…let me wake him up first, ok?"

"Sure," Tom said, smiling as she got up.

He removed the films and walked after her out the door. He smiled at her as she pushed Vaughn's door quietly, waiting for Sydney to return and tell him to give Vaughn the news.


	2. Chapter 197: Volition

**Chapter 197: Volition **

_"Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn't you - all of the expectations, all of the beliefs - and becoming who you are." – Rachel Naomi Remen _

"Pessimist: One who, when he has the choice of two evils, chooses both." – Oscar Wilde

"To decide, to be at the level of choice, is to take responsibility for your life and to be in control of your life." – Abbie M. Dale

"One can always point to a time, a choice, an act that set the tone for a life and changed a personal destiny." – Carol O'Connel

**

* * *

**

Sydney watched Vaughn's sleeping form for a few moments before she took a deep breath and moved over to the bed, sitting on the edge. She took his free hand and ran her other through his hair.

"Vaughn…baby…you have to wake up…" she said quietly.

He stirred and yawned, opening his eyes slowly and smiled up at her, "Hey."

"Hi…how're you feeling?" she asked.

"Better…less pain…"

"Good…your mom is coming down…"

"Why?"

"I called her, she insisted…"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah, I guess she would."

"When you feel like it – you have a whole room full of visitors out there too…"

"They can come in," Vaughn said with a smile.

Sydney returned the smile, "We have to talk about something first…"

"Sure…what's up?"

She took another deep breath and looked down at him, "Tom's outside…he needs to tell you about the x-rays."

Vaughn was silent for a moment, the look on his face completely destroying Sydney inside as he stared off.

Finally, he asked quietly, "How long do I have to be here?"

Sydney hesitated, "Tom should really–"

"How long Sydney…"

"Best case, you can leave tomorrow…worst case…weeks…"

Vaughn swallowed, "What's wrong…" he said quietly.

"I'll have Tom tell you…he can be more accurate…"

"Why won't you tell me?"

Sydney smiled, "Two of the ribs are re-fractured…they have to operate so they don't puncture your lung again, that's the gist."

Vaughn smiled softly back, "Thank you."

Sydney returned it, "I'll get Tom…look surprised…"

"He already knows you told me…"

Sydney turned and nodded and then opened the door, "K," she said to Tom before she turned and sat back on the bed.

Tom smiled and closed the door, sitting down in the chair on the opposite side of the bed from where Sydney was sitting. He took a deep breath and said, "Well, Syd's filled you in I'm sure…"

Sydney smiled and Vaughn looked at her with an 'I told you so,' look, "Yeah…"

"You have two ribs that are close to puncturing your lung again. We need to operate to get them out of the way so to speak. It's not a terribly invasive procedure…they'd open the same incision they used last time – so it wouldn't create any new wounds. It would be sensitive for a while…but no different than last time – and it'd only be one…"

"Sydney told me best and worst case scenario…"

"Yeah…I'm shooting for best…"

"Me too," Vaughn said with a nod.

"I wouldn't make you do this if it wasn't necessary," Tom said.

"I know that."

"Well, I thought I needed to say it too."

"You don't…I get it…" he paused, "When?"

"Now."

Vaughn took a deep breath, "Let's get it over with then."

Tom sat literally dumbfounded for a minute. He raised his eyebrows; "Uh…ok…I'll call…" he got up and walked to the door. Before he walked out, he turned, "You…you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Vaughn said.

Tom nodded and let the door close with a soft click.

Vaughn turned to see Sydney staring at him with a similar look, "What?" he asked.

"Well…I don't think that was how either one of us thought that was gonna go."

"Why not?"

"Well…" Sydney started, but couldn't come up with what to say.

"You thought I'd freak out?"

"Yeah…I guess…maybe…or just be more resistant."

"I'm sick of sitting here…there…I'm sick of just letting shit happen. I want to make the decisions. I want to choose."

Sydney smiled, "I think that's great…just don't get so gung ho that you hurt yourself more…"

"No, I won't."

"I'm sure everything will go fine," Sydney said, for both of them to hear.

"If it doesn't…I love you – you know that right?"

Sydney looked down at him, "Vaughn…you're gonna be fine…and yes, I do know that…and I love you too."

Vaughn smiled and pulled her down to kiss him. They were in the midst of the not-so-public display of affection when Tom came into the room again.

He smiled, "Sorry to interrupt, but we're ready…"

Vaughn nodded, "Ok…let's get this over with."

Tom smiled and a few orderlies came in to help move Vaughn onto a gurney. Sydney moved to Vaughn's side as they were ready to go and held his hand as they wheeled him down the hall to surgery.

The trip to the OR was silent, no one in the mood for jokes at the moment. When they reached the door, and Sydney could go no further, she leaned down and ran her hand through Vaughn's hair.

"I'll be waiting when you wake up…" she said, kissing him sweetly and smiling.

He returned the smile, "I know…I love you."

"I love you too…" Sydney said, looking up at Tom with a worried expression.

Tom smiled softly, "We'll take good care of him, don't you worry…"

"I'm counting on that Tom."

Tom nodded and pushed the gurney through the OR doors…taking Vaughn with him…the doors swung open and shut for a few fading seconds. Sydney watched through the cracks as Vaughn got farther and farther away form her, until he disappeared all together, and Sydney was left watching the closed doors.


	3. Chapter 198: A Watched Pot…

**Chapter 198: A Watched Pot… **

_"The opposite of talking isn't listening. The opposite of talking is waiting." – Fran Lebowitz _

"Wait for that wisest of all counselors, Time." – Pericles

"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight." – Benjamin Franklin

"Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere." – Erma Bombeck

**

* * *

**

Sydney had no clue how long she stood by those doors, but eventually, she came out of her daze and began to walk back to the waiting room. Her father saw her first, saw the fearful look in her eyes and walked over to her.

"Sydney?" he asked softly, "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

Sydney shook her head, "Vaughn just went into surgery," she choked out before she collapsed in tears on her father's chest.

He moved them out of the hall and out of the view of the others in the waiting room. "Sydney…are you alright?"

"Yeah…"

"Why does Vaughn need surgery?" Jack asked softly.

"The x-rays…showed that two of his ribs are close to puncturing his lung again…free floating…"

Jack nodded, "I'm sure he'll be fine Sydney…"

"I don't know…he kept telling me he loved me…and that if something went wrong, to make sure that I knew that…it's like…it's like he knew something was going to happen…"

Jack thought a moment, "Maybe he was just scared…"

"I hope so…I just have this feeling…that something…" she shook her head, "I just want the next few hours to fly by quickly…"

"Do you want to go get a cup of coffee…or something to eat?"

"No, I want to stay close…just in case."

Jack nodded, "Why don't we sit down…fill everyone else in…"

Sydney followed her father to the waiting room chairs where everyone was seated.

Will knew instantly something was wrong, "Syd…what happened?"

She smiled at his perceptiveness, "They just took Vaughn to surgery."

"For what?" Eric asked in a frightened tone.

"The x-rays showed that he has two ribs that are close to puncturing his lung again. They have to go in and make sure that doesn't happen."

"Is he gonna be ok?" Francie asked.

"I hope so…all we can do is wait…"

Jack put a proactive arm around his daughter, and she leaned into the embrace. Everyone else was forced to do the same…just wait…

Sydney looked at the clock as the hands seemed immovable. It had been an hour since Vaughn went into surgery. She was starting to get antsy. She got up out of the chair and paced around the waiting room a few times, looking at the clock on every rotation.

Finally Jack got up and stood in front of her, "Let's get some coffee…come on, you need to get out of this waiting room."

Sydney reluctantly agreed, letting her father drag her off to the cafeteria. They made it down to the lobby and were crossing the expanse of the reception area when Sydney heard someone calling her name.

She turned to see Amélie walking towards her. She tried to put on her best and most convincing smile, but unfortunately for Sydney, mother and son shared a perceptive trait.

"What's happened?" she asked immediately, not even saying hello.

Sydney looked down and then back up at Vaughn's mother, "He's in surgery…"

"Why? What happened?"

"The x-rays came back…they showed that two of his ribs were on the verge of puncturing his lung again…they had to operate so they wouldn't puncture…"

Amélie stood for a moment and then looked slightly relieved, "Well, that's not the worst news…I was fearing the worst…"

Sydney smiled weakly.

"Hello Amélie," Jack said.

"Hello Jack," Amélie replied.

"We were just on our way to get a cup of coffee, would you care to join us?"

"Sure…Michael is still in surgery, correct?"

"Yes," Jack answered.

"Ok then…"

The three turned and walked to the cafeteria, grabbing three cups of very weak and gritty coffee before sitting at one of the tables.

Amélie looked at Sydney as they sat at the table, "Are you alright dear?"

Sydney smiled weakly again, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Nonsense, what's the matter?"

"I'm worried about Michael…"

"What kind of surgery is this? Is it dangerous?"

"They're opening the same incision from when he had surgery before…I just…have a bad feeling…"

Amélie nodded and then silence pervaded the table as the three sat, lost in thought. A few minutes after, Sydney said, "I'm going to go back up to the waiting room…"

Jack shared a glance with Amélie and they got up to follow Sydney back to the waiting room. Will and Francie and Weiss all greeted Amélie warmly as Jack and Sydney retook their chairs in the corner of the waiting room.

Sydney watched the clock tick away…tick…tick…tick…tick…the seconds passed…click…a minute…tick…tick…tick…tick…she swore time slowed because she was watching the clock. Sixty seconds had never gone by so slowly; the clock was defective, that's all there was to it. She shifted restlessly for the millionth time, this time bringing her legs up underneath her, almost retreating inward. Her thoughts wandered, thinking about all the horrible things that could go wrong with the surgery…she shuddered at the possibilities and tried to force herself to think positively.

The clock clicked; another minute gone by…

Sydney saw Tom emerge from the OR and was rushing over to him before anyone else even had the chance to ask her where she was going.

She took a fleeting look at the dreaded clock before she reached Tom. Vaughn had been in surgery for a little over two hours.

She bombarded him instantly with questions, an arc of people forming behind her.

"Tom…is he ok? Did the surgery go well? Is he awake? Can I see him? Did you fix his ribs? Is he breathing on his own? Is he in pain?"

Tom waited patiently for Sydney to stop.

Finally, she took a deep breath, "Sorry…"

"It's ok…"

"So…can you tell me please, before I go insane…"

Tom smiled briefly, "He's in the recovery room right now…he'll be there for a few hours…just to make sure there aren't going to be any complications…"

"Complications?" Sydney said terrified.

"It's just procedure…"

Sydney breathed a sigh of relief. "Please Tom…just tell me…"

"Do you want to do this here or privately in another room?"

Sydney stared him down, "What's wrong…"

"Where do you want to do this?" Tom asked again, "I have to have consent before I start talking about it in front of them…" he gestured to the crowd lingering behind Sydney.

Amélie piped up, "He's my son…I'm entitled to know what's going on with him."

Tom smiled, "Well…then I need to know if I should tell you two privately or out here…I'm his friend, but as a doctor, I have legal codes I have to follow…"

Sydney's heart was in her throat, "Tom…I just need to know…please…tell me here…"

Tom looked to Amélie who nodded.

"Why don't we sit…"

Sydney shakily moved back to the waiting room chairs; Tom sat across from her.

"The surgery was successful…" he started.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief…


	4. Chapter 199: One Step Closer

**Chapter 199: One Step Closer**

"Time has laid its healing hand upon the wound when we can look back at the the pain we once fainted under, and no bitterness or despair arises in our heart." – Jerome K. Jerome

"Truth, like surgery, may hurt, but it cures." – Han Suyin

"Oh, make us happy and you make us good." – Robert Browning

* * *

Sydney looked to Tom, "Ok…successful…and?"

"The surgery went well. The surgeons opened the same incision that they had previously made for the surgery he had before to repair other ribs. They ribs were free floating, the surgeon said that we got him there just in time; that if we would have waited any longer, the lung would have been punctured. They were able to repair the damage and put pins in place to reattach the ribs."

"Pins?" Sydney asked.

Tom smiled, "They're small," he said with a wink, "and he actually has a few already – from the first surgery."

Sydney nodded, "So, he's ok?"

"I think he'll be fine."

Sydney smiled and let out a happy cry. She turned and hugged her father and then Amélie and everyone else in turn.

She turned back to Tom and hugged him as well, "Thank you," she whispered to him.

"You're welcome…"

"Is he awake? Can I see him?"

Tom smiled, "He's not awake yet and…well you aren't really allowed in there…but you can see him. Come with me."

Sydney turned back to the small crowd of people.

Amélie smiled back, "Go see him…"

Jack nodded, "We'll visit with him later."

Sydney smiled appreciatively and then followed Tom down the hall.

"So he's really ok then?" Sydney asked just for reassurance.

Tom smiled, "Yes, he's really ok. I didn't mean to scare you…but even I'm a slave to hospital policy sometimes. I can careen down a hallway and makes noises, but there are legalities I can't get around."

"It's ok Tom, I understand and thank you for letting me see him."

He stopped in front of a door marked "Recovery," and held the door open for her.

It was a large room, white hospital walls, lined with a number of hospital beds. It was a communal room, the beds separated by thin sheets that you could pull for privacy. Sydney searched the room, looking for Vaughn on the beds.

Tom moved ahead and she followed, walking past other patients in various stages of recovery. She passed a man who was obviously in a very critical condition, a ventilator on, the sounds of it filling his lungs with air echoing off the plain walls. Sydney got a shiver as she remembered Vaughn looking like that when she first saw him in the hospital, wires trailing all over.

She passed a woman, who smiled at her as she went by, her leg in traction, casted all the way to her hip. Sydney gave her an empathetic smile, and walked on with Tom.

There was an older gentleman who was sleeping, looking frail and sick next to the woman with the cast, and on the other side of the room, a trauma victim of some sort, their head swathed in gauze.

There were a few empty beds, and then Vaughn, and Sydney smiled, thinking Tom must have done that on purpose, distancing him so she could have privacy with him. Tom pulled the curtain around Vaughn's bed and stood next to Sydney as she took the chair next to Vaughn.

He was sleeping, his face peaceful, an oxygen mask on his face, an IV running into his hand. Sydney noticed his arm was back in a sling, and there were a few wires monitoring his heart, pulse and blood pressure.

She looked up at Tom, "The oxygen mask…is he having breathing problems?" Sydney asked worriedly.

Tom smiled softly, "No…it's just a formality, a precaution. He's breathing on his own…they'll put the tube oxygen back on when he's awake."

Sydney nodded, "How long do you think it'll be before he wakes up?"

"Not sure…everyone's different. Some people come out of it right away, others it takes longer…just gotta give him time…"

Sydney nodded again, "Can I stay with him?"

Tom looked to the door, "Yeah…I'll talk to the nurses, tell them it's ok…" He smiled, "I'll come back in a little while."

"Ok, thanks again Tom," Sydney said, grabbing Vaughn's hand and slowly rubbing her fingers over his, careful to avoid the IV. She ran her other hand through his hair, and getting up, placed a kiss on his forehead. She let her head linger over his, whispering, "I love you Michael…" before sitting down again.

She watched him breathe for a few minutes, and then started to talk to him quietly.

"Vaughn…everything went well…they repaired the ribs…and you're doing just fine. I'll be here when you wake up…" she trailed off.

She moved the chair closer and sat back, just watching his breathing and watching the heart monitor as it beeped steadily across the screen. She'd only been sitting for about ten minutes when his hand tensed and gripped hers.

She stood up and moved close to him, "Vaughn?" she said quietly.

His eyes fluttered and his gaze blurrily fixed on her. He smiled from under the mask; she could just see the outline of his dimples peeking around the edges.

"Hey…" she said, a huge smile breaking out, "Everything went well…they repaired the ribs…no complications…"

He nodded and blinked a few times and then extricated his hand from hers, moving it slowly up to his face. He moved the mask down, anxious to get it off.

Sydney smiled again, taking the opportunity to kiss him thoroughly and show him just how happy she was that he was ok.

Vaughn smiled and rasped painfully, "Water?"

Sydney smiled and kissed him, replacing the mask, "I'll get some…and tell the doctor you're awake…"

Vaughn nodded and watched her as she walked out.

Sydney returned with a cup of ice chips, and moved the mask so she could give them to him. After his throat reopened enough to talk, he smiled at her and said weakly and quietly, "Hi."

Her face brightened more than it was already and she kissed him again.

"Miss me?" he asked.

She giggled and kissed him again, "I was scared…I'm glad you're ok."

"Me too…" he said with a smile.

"How are you?" Sydney asked.

"I'm tired…and sore…it hurts…but I'm ok…"

She smiled and kissed him again, making him chuckle softly.

Tom trailed into the room a few minutes later, "Hey Mike…" he said happily.

"Hi Tom," he replied as Sydney supplied him with another ice chip.

"How ya feelin?"

"Tired…sore."

"Yeah…you will be for a bit…but it went well, great really. I made sure you had the best."

"Thanks Tom," Vaughn said with a smile. "Can I get this off?" he asked, gesturing to the oxygen mask.

"Yeah, you'll have to have the tube oxygen though for awhile…"

Vaughn nodded as Tom approached the bed and removed the mask, replacing it with the tube, "There."

Vaughn smiled in appreciation.

"The surgeon's gonna come in, in a few minutes to talk to you, then we'll monitor everything for another half hour or so and move you back to your room. Ok?"

"Sounds good."

Tom smiled and walked out again, leaving Sydney and Vaughn alone. She kept feeding him ice chips and fussing with the blankets and pillow, making sure he was comfortable.

"I'm ok Sydney," he said as she fussed with the blanket once again.

"I know…I just…I feel the need to hover."

"Hover away," he said with a smile.

Tom reentered with another man, about 5' 11" with brown wavy hair and sparkly hazel eyes.

The man smiled warmly, his eyes warm and inviting, "I'm Dr. Nicholas Osbourne, I performed your surgery Mr. Vaughn."

"Hi," Vaughn said.

Sydney smiled, "Thank you."

The doctor smiled, "How are you feeling?"

"Tired…and sore…" Vaughn repeated for the third time.

"You will be for a while, but the surgery was successful. We repaired the rib damage, and we put several pins in place; the same procedure that was used for your other rib surgery. After we monitor your vitals for a little while, we can move you back to your room." He turned to Sydney, "I understand you've been caring for him at home…"

"Yes," Sydney replied.

"Well, you've been doing a great job…The incision I made was reopening a previous one…so there are no new wounds to take care of. This one can be cared for in the same manner as that one was, just watch for infection…" He stopped and looked back at Vaughn, "We also redressed your other wounds, and removed some of the bandages on your back and chest/abdomen that aren't required anymore. Those are healing quite nicely, so," he turned again to Sydney, "when he goes home again, you'll have less to bandage."

"That's great," Sydney said looking at Vaughn.

Vaughn smiled and nodded, "Yeah it is."

"What about the infected wound?" Sydney asked.

"Tom's informed me he's been on antibiotics…and by my judgment, he has four more days of pills. The infection is nearly gone, the wound is still healing and will take a while to heal yet, but the infection will be cleared up for sure by those next four days."

"Good," Sydney said.

Vaughn nodded, "Yeah, cause that sucked."

Tom chuckled and Dr. Osbourne smiled, "Yes, I'm sure it did." He paused, "We also checked your shoulder. It seems to have been sprained slightly, and I understand that you've been keeping it out of the sling for longer periods of time?"

Sydney nodded, "Yeah…bad judgment…"

Dr. Osbourne smiled, "Well, it just won't heal as fast that way…or as well. I want you to make sure you keep it in the sling for at least another week – fully…then you can start to exercise it more…but slowly. The shoulder needs to rest…don't push it…keep exercising the fingers and that will help to strengthen the shoulder as well. Continue to take the pain medication and ice it if there is discomfort, or gentle massaging works too. Tom can check it then again in a week. Ok?"

Sydney nodded and Vaughn followed suit.

"Ok, then we'll check your vitals for another 15 minutes or so, then you can go back to your room."

"Thank you doctor," Sydney said.

Dr. Osbourne smiled and walked off, leaving Tom to chat with the couple.

"How long do I have to stay?" Vaughn asked.

"Well, as long as you feel ok, and we don't encounter any problems, you can go home tomorrow. I'd let you go home today, but I think you need to rest at least until tomorrow morning. K?"

"Yeah, ok," Vaughn replied.


	5. Chapter 200: Post Op Pleasure

**Chapter 200: Post-Op Pleasure**

_"One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love." – Sophocles_

_"Tenderness emerges from the fact that the two persons, longing, as all individuals do, to overcome the separateness and isolation to which we are all heir because we are individuals, can participate in a relationship that, for the moment, is not of two isolated selves but a union." – Rollo May_

_"Life in abundance comes only through great love." – Elbert Hubbard_

* * *

They chatted on and off for the next few minutes, Tom checking his vitals twice. He smiled, "Ok…I think you're good…let's get you back to your room…" 

Vaughn and Sydney smiled, she holding his hand as they moved the gurney down the hallways again back to his room. They gently moved him from the recovery gurney back to his own hospital bed and got him hooked up to the oxygen and IV in there before the nurses left, leaving only Tom.

He stayed for a few minutes, making sure Vaughn was comfortable, changing his morphine levels, before he said his goodbyes, "I'll come and check on you later. You should rest now…"

"I'm hungry…" Vaughn said.

Sydney looked at him, "Oh my God! You never really had anything to eat today…"

Tom chuckled, "What do you want, I'll get them to send it up."

"Uhm…turkey…and cheese…and mayo…and I want some milk."

"Ok, I'll tell the nurse…she'll make sure you get it."

"Thanks…"

"You've got a room full of people out there…you want me to send them in…they shouldn't stay, but they can come in and see you for a few minutes."

"Sure," Vaughn said with a smile.

Tom nodded and went to the nurses' station first, giving her Vaughn's order, before he informed the people in the waiting room that they could go in and see Vaughn for a few minutes.

The crowd moved hurriedly to the door, knocking first.

Sydney's voice could be heard through the door, and Jack pushed the door open slowly.

Everyone filed in and made a semi-circle around the bed.

"Mom?!" Vaughn said shocked and pleased all at the same time.

Amélie smiled and hugged her son, kissing the top of his head, "Michael…" she said with a click of her tongue, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm ok mom…I feel better now…"

"Good…"

"When did you get here?"

"A few hours ago…when you were in surgery…Sydney called me."

Vaughn nodded and smiled at his mother as she sat on the other side of the bed, opposite from Sydney.

The group chatted and laughed for a short time until the nurse came in with Vaughn's sandwich.

Jack suggested that they let Vaughn rest, and everyone said their goodbyes.

Amélie offered to stay with Vaughn, but he assured her he'd be ok and she accepted the offer to go home with Will and Francie after smiling knowingly at the couple.

Vaughn and Sydney were once again left in peace so he could eat his sandwich.

"You feeling ok?" Sydney asked as she watched him eat.

"Yeah, I'm tired…and sore…" he said, nodding, "like I've said a thousand times…"

Sydney chuckled, "Sorry…"

"No, it's ok…"

She waited patiently until he was done eating, and then moved the tray away. "You rest now, ok…I'll be right here."

"Ok," he said with a yawn, his eyes already starting to close.

Sydney smiled as she watched him fall asleep so quickly. When her own stomach grumbled, she realized she hadn't had much of anything to eat either, and after she made sure Vaughn was going to sleep comfortably, she went out to the nurses' station to order something for herself.

The nurse was pleasant and accommodating, and her own meal was brought up just a little while later. She sat quietly, just smiling as she stared at the sleeping form of her love, her friend, her partner, her soulmate. She was grinning like an idiot when she found his green eyes meeting hers, a smile on his lips that reached his sparkling orbs, merging with a questioning look.

She blushed and grinned more, her dimples flashing at him.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked quietly.

"You…"

"Me? Why?"

"Because…I'm so proud of you…and I love you so much."

Vaughn returned the complete look of admiration, "Ditto."

She moved closer to the bed and sat on the edge, grabbing his free hand in hers gently, careful not to upset the IV. She caressed his face and smiled at the rather large amount of stubble on his face, "Pretty soon, you'll have a beard," she joked.

He smiled, "It's kinda itchy…"

"You want me to shave you?"

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all…"

"Scruff is good…this is a little too much…"

She smiled and moved off the bed to the bathroom, retrieving what she'd need to give him a decent shave. The whole process went without a hitch, her skill at doing it now rivaling his own.

He ran his hand over his cheek, "Thank you."

"You're welcome…"

He looked at her a minute, and a mischievous grin broke out.

"What?" she asked.

He arched his eyebrows, "Speaking of shaving…"

Sydney looked at him strangely, "Yeah…I miss a spot?"

"Nooooo…." He started, smiling, "I'm just wondering when I'm gonna get to see…your 'heart' again…"

Sydney grinned, "Ooohhh…I get it…"

Vaughn's smile got bigger, "Yeah…I was interested in taking a closer look at it…checking the craftsmanship…"

"Were you now?"

"Yeah…I was looking forward to it."

Sydney smiled and traced a finger down his newly smooth cheek, "I could give you another shave…I do have the razor…" she said with a wink as his eyes went wide.

She couldn't resist, "We could have matching hearts," she said with a giggle.

He smiled, "Mmm…well…perhaps you could make something a little more…manly?"

Sydney chuckled, "Why don't I check out the situation…" she said suggestively.

She got off the bed and went over to the door, looking over her shoulder at him as she locked it. He smiled and watched as she walked back towards him, stopping at the foot of the bed, and trailing her hands up the covers.

She slowly peeled the covers back, and moved the hospital gown out of her way. She looked up at him, seeing the desire and a masked exhaustion. She smiled softly, knowing that he needed a quick release and then needed to rest.

She carefully got on the bed, and positioned herself so she was kneeling between his legs. His breath was already coming out harshly, his eyes hooded in anticipation and desire.

She looked up at him, "Well Mr. Vaughn…we can make this into just about anything you want…what manly design did you have in mind?"

Vaughn chuckled, "Whatever you think it needs," he said, his voice raspy and full of want.

Sydney smiled and gently wrapped her hand around his cock with her right hand.

His hips automatically rose off the bed, pushing himself into her hand as a long, drawn out moan made its way to the surface. Sydney looked up to see his eyes shut tightly as the sensations began to wash over him, her hand flexing on his shaft, moving slowly over the whole length, just simple pressure applied. She leaned forward and licked the tip of his cock, his hips lurching again as a new sensation hit him. She licked again, sliding her tongue around the whole head, spreading the moisture and getting her first taste of his salty liquid. She moved her tongue to the slit, licking all around and delving gently inside before sliding her tongue under the ridge and sucking him powerfully.

A groan erupted from his chest, as Sydney's tongue bathed his cock in more wet warmth, running it over his length, up and down…up and down…

She held him with her hand again, dropping down farther to his balls, taking each one into her mouth and sucking slowly and languidly, driving him insane with warring feelings as her hand began to stroke him. She stopped the stroking and gripped him hard at the root of his cock, while her tongue and mouth laved attention on his tensing balls.

Vaughn looked down as Sydney continued to play with his balls, testing their weight and pulling gently, before her mouth devoured him once again, pulling each one in turn into her hot mouth and sucking lightly. She looked up and met his eyes before her gaze traveled to his stiff cock, standing straight up, her small hand wrapped around the hard girth as it strained for attention. Her eyes moved to look at the tip, the head swollen, the skin taught, a stream of liquid slowly leaking out over the head and down the sides of his cock, running over her fingers. She gripped him powerfully and licked the head clean, watching in fascination as the stream flowed once again.

"Sydney…" Vaughn breathed as her eyes turned even darker and more seductive.

She smiled up at him, "Just relax…enjoy it…"

He nodded appreciatively, too worn out to argue with her. His hips rose again to meet her mouth as she slowly brought it over his cock, and inched him in. When his cock hit the back of her throat, he groaned, his hand gripping the sheets as Sydney started to swallow.

She moved one of her hands back to his shaft, the other trailing to his balls once again, to massage and prepare them gently. Her hand on his shaft gripped tightly at the base as she ravished his shaft with licks and sucked her way all around him. She then concentrated on the head, pushing her tongue into the slit before running it all along the ridge, stopping to apply a strong amount of pressure on the underside, right below the head.

Her fingers massaging his balls suddenly changed tactics. His eyes squeezed shut tightly as Sydney watched his reaction. She curled her fingers and pressed her knuckles gentle into his balls, stopping to rub the knuckle of her middle finger up and down the seam of his testicles.

She kept up her rhythm, pressing and rubbing her knuckles into his balls, and the spot in between until she changed again, tracing just the finger up and down the seam, making him groan; his thighs shuddering from her touch. His cock turned instantly harder, swelling to a size Sydney swore she'd never seen him get to before as she kept alternating her finger and knuckles over his sensitive balls.

Vaughn was completely lost in sensation between Sydney's mouth on the head of his cock, her hand wrapped tightly around the base, and her other hand doing something insanely wonderful to his balls that she'd never done before. It created a feeling he almost couldn't describe. Warmth flooded everywhere and tension mounted to an unbearable rate. He had no clue how Sydney found that spot, but by God, praise whatever or whoever told her that little tip, because all it made him want to do was come…hard.

Sydney could feel the changes taking place in him, physically and emotionally, hanging on by a thread as she guided him towards bliss. She smiled at his reaction to her new spot on his balls; it was evident that the spot obviously did the job it was intended for.

He sent her a warning glance, telling her what she knew was imminently arriving, and she redoubled her efforts. His cock lurched in her mouth, tumbling over into his climax as powerful spasms tore though his body.

She could feel his balls contracting under her fingers, rhythmically sending wave after wave after wave of his seed down her throat. She massaged him as his balls contracted, sending him into what seemed like another orgasm. He lurched his hips forward; sending himself deeper down her throat as she greedily sucked and stroked his cock in time with his spurts.

Sydney slowed her movements, bringing him down slowly, watching as his body relaxed and his cock softened in her mouth. She swallowed all of the massive amount that worked its way through his cock, not letting a drop fall. She released his cock from her mouth, but kept her hand on him, slowly stroking him, loving the little jerks that his body released and watching again as small beads of liquid appeared at the head. She licked all of them away, and stopped her movements on him when she looked up and saw the tired expression on his face.

She kissed the head once more and then slowly moved her hands away from him, giving him one last squeeze as she got off the bed and replaced the gown, covering him up again.

She smiled as she looked down at him, his face a mirror of so many emotions; love, bliss, comfort, and that vulnerable look he always had when he came. Under the surface of those however, Sydney could also see pain and fatigue.

She brushed the hair back from his forehead, running her hand through the strands as she always did in a comforting and loving gesture. He smiled weakly at her and yawned.

He was about to say something, but Sydney placed a finger on his lips, "Rest now…" she leaned down and kissed him, "We'll talk later…"

He nodded tiredly, "I love you…and thanks…"

She nodded a reply, "I love you too and you're welcome…Sleep now."

"Will you lay with me?"

"Of course," Sydney said. She went to the door and unlocked it, so the nurses could come in and check on him and then moved back over to the bed. She scooted him over and pulled the covers back so she could lay with him.

Sydney kissed his cheek and continued her motions in his hair. "We didn't hurt you, did we?"

He smiled and turned to her, "No, I'm good."

Sydney took his turned angle as an opportunity to kiss him again, "Sleep."

Vaughn nodded and burrowed into her warm body, his head nestled safely in the crook of her arm. She watched him as he drifted to sleep quickly, the surgery and stress of the day catching up with him. She stayed awake long enough to be sure he was sound asleep before she joined him in slumber.


	6. Chapter 201: Someone Like You

**Chapter 201: Someone Like You**

_"Life without love is like a tree without blossom and fruit." – Kahlil Gibran_

_"The most wonderful of all things in life, I believe, is the discovery of another human being with whom one's relationship has a glowing depth, beauty, and joy as the years increase. This inner progressiveness of love between two human beings is a most marvelous thing, it cannot be found by looking for it or by passionately wishing for it. It is a sort of Divine accident." – Sir Hugh Walpoe_

_"On every mountain height is rest." – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe_

* * *

Sydney woke and for a moment, was slightly disoriented with the surroundings. Then she remembered, Vaughn, the hospital, surgery, nurses coming in to check on him during the night…but Vaughn was ok. She looked next to her, to see him snuggled close to her, his head nestled much as it was when they fell asleep. He was breathing evenly, his face peaceful and his body looked relaxed. Sydney smiled, watching him, thankful that this trip to the hospital was going so well. 

She looked at the clock; it was 3:00am. She yawned and cringed, wondering why she'd woken so early, but then she realized that it had been really early when she and Vaughn had fallen asleep. She ran her hand through his hair, and then down his cheek, slowly and gently, watching as his muscles twitched unconsciously.

He shifted slightly, and burrowed closer to her in his sleep, but thankfully, he didn't wake. Sydney moved her hand away, afraid that if she kept touching him like that, he'd wake up, and he needed to rest.

She settled instead for just keeping a vigilant watch over him, listening to him breathe, the sweet sound of his silent sleep, no pain and no fear, just…rest.

He slept soundly, nestled in Sydney's soft embrace until about 7:00am. She smiled when she saw him start to wake, his breathing changing, becoming faster as his body woke. She leaned over and kissed him gently on the mouth before traveling down to his cheek and kissing him there as well.

He smiled as he roused, turning his head to kiss her lips again. "Hey," he said quietly, looking sleepily at her.

"Hi baby…you sleep ok?"

"Yeah, I did…I think the meds helped," he said with a smile, his eyes glistening in amusement.

"Well, you needed them I think – you would have been in a lot of pain otherwise."

"Yeah."

"You in pain now?"

"No, I'm good…IV drugs are a wonder."

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah, as long as they help you."

"They are," he assured her.

She smiled, "You hungry?"

"Yeah…"

"Ok, let me go tell the nurse."

"Ok," Vaughn said with a yawn.

Sydney kissed him and got off the bed, fixing his covers, "Be right back," she said.

He nodded and watched as she went out the door.

Sydney walked to the nurses' station and requested that something be brought up for Vaughn to eat.

The nurse smiled at her, "Are you his wife?"

"I will be," Sydney said with a smile.

The nurse chuckled, "He loves you…"

"Yes, I know and I love him too."

The nurse smiled again, "It shows…" she paused, "I'm on the night shift – my shift ends soon…so I was the one that came in to check his vitals during the night…"

Sydney smiled, "Sorry…it was probably difficult to do that with me laying there."

"No, it was ok…it wasn't really – I just had to check the machines…but it was different – sweet – I don't think I've ever really seen that before."

"Seen what?"

"Well, I see a lot working here in the hospital…but I think you were the first couple that shared the patient's hospital bed."

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah, we did that sort of all through his…stay…"

"Has he been here before?"

"Yeah…he was at Good Samaritan for awhile, then he was moved here…"

"Wow…how long has he been injured?"

"Almost six weeks now…"

"Wow…"

"Yeah, he's got a ways to go too…they said in the beginning that it would be fourteen weeks."

"He must have been really hurt."

"He was."

The nurse nodded, "Well, he trusts you completely."

Sydney smiled, "I know and the feeling is mutual."

"He's lucky to have you."

"It was my turn…I'm lucky to have him."

The nurse nodded, "Did you want me to send something up for you too?"

"That'd be great…thanks."

The nurse nodded and Sydney walked back towards Vaughn's room.

When she reentered, he was, of course, in the bed, but he smiled at her when she came back in the room. He looked more awake, more alert than he had when he first woke up, but that made sense.

"They're gonna bring something up."

"What are you gonna eat?" Vaughn asked.

"Well, I'm eating off of your plate," Sydney said with a smile.

Vaughn chuckled, "Ok."

Sydney laughed as well, "No, the nurse was actually really nice and asked me if I wanted a plate too…so we both get one it seems."

"Cool, cause I'm hungry, I didn't want to share," Vaughn said with a wicked smile.

"You're really nice…and after I gave you that nice blowjob too…huh…well…I hope you liked it, cause it's the last one you're gonna get…"

Vaughn smiled and chuckled, "You wouldn't do that to me…and I'm too tired to argue…"

Sydney smiled, "Well, I'll wait until you're better before I cut you off."

Vaughn looked at her, "Thanks."

She moved to the bed and sat down, grabbing his hand, "You're really tired today?"

He nodded, "Yeah…I just feel worn out."

"I'm sorry baby."

"It's ok…I mean – it could be worse."

She nodded grimly, "Yeah, it could have been much worse."

He smiled wistfully, "You think they'll let me go home today?"

Sydney smiled back at him, "Tom said so yesterday…I think they just wanna make sure they'll be no complications…then we can go home."

"Ok," Vaughn said, his head pressing back into the pillow, his eyes staring at the ceiling.

"I'm so proud of you Michael," Sydney said after a few minutes.

Vaughn looked back at her, "Why?"

"Because, look what you've done here…"

"What do you mean? Freaked out in radiology and said ok to surgery?"

"Vaughn…think back to when you first got to the hospital – this is a huge step…a monumental step…"

Vaughn thought a moment, "I guess so…well…see though – not really Sydney, because I wanted you to hold me this time just as much as I did last time."

"But you didn't freak out like last time."

"Well, I wanted to."

"But you didn't…you handled it so well…it's about what you did with your fear this time…you used it differently, and that's a big step honey."

Vaughn contemplated a minute, "I guess…"

"No guessing, you did great."

"Thank you, but you always have something to do with it."

"Not this time…you did it – it was all you honey."

Vaughn smiled, "You're my strength Sydney…"

"Well who do you think is mine?" she said with a smile, caressing his cheek.

He leaned into her touch, "I love you."

"I love you…" she leaned down and kissed him, pushing her tongue into his mouth as he eagerly responded. Her right hand moved from where it covered his and wound in his hair while the fingers of her other hand interlocked with his, careful to avoid the IV.

She ran her fingers over the hair by the back of his neck, making him shiver and grip her hand tighter. They were so occupied with each other that they never heard the food service woman wheel in the food cart. She stood by the end of the bed for a few moments, and then cleared her throat.

Sydney stopped kissing Vaughn and looked down at him, their eyes meeting in an amused look. She pulled back and looked over at the woman, "Hi," she said happily and in an altogether too friendly manner.

The woman attempted an annoyed smile and moved the trays to the small movable table by Vaughn's bed. She said nothing else, and walked out, her cart creaking and squeaking as she went out the door.

Sydney looked at Vaughn as they both giggled. "How did we not hear that?" Sydney asked.

"I get lost in you," Vaughn replied simply and quickly.

Sydney leaned down and kissed him again, "Me too."

She arranged the table for them and then uncovered the trays before pressing a button on his bed to make it elevate so he could sit. She sat down with him then and started to cut up the pancakes that were on the tray for him.

"You want me to help?" Sydney asked.

Vaughn smiled, "Nah – you need to eat too…you need your strength…for later…"

Sydney looked at him strangely, "Later?"

"Well – you said you'd cut me off when I wasn't hurt anymore…I'm still hurt…"

She smacked him gently on the arm; "Watch it."

Vaughn chuckled, "Just sayin'…your words…"

Sydney smiled and took his fork, stabbing a piece of pancake and handing it to him, "I'm multitalented."

"Yes you are," Vaughn replied with a raised brow.

She helped him with the rest of the bites, finally opting to just feed them to him instead of handing him the fork. He settled for putting his arm around her, pulling her closer, making it also less stressful and dangerous without his IV in the way.

Sydney handed him the remote to the television and took turns giving them both bites as they just relaxed and touched on the bed.


	7. Chapter 202: Angels Rest Here

**Chapter 202: Angels Rest Here**

"All love that has not friendship for its base  
Is like a mansion built upon the sand.  
Though brave its walls as any in the land,  
And its tall turrets lift their heads in grace;  
Though skillful and accomplished artists trace  
Most beautiful designs on every hand,  
And gleaming statues in dim niches stand,  
And mountains play in some flow'r-hidden place:

Yet, when from the frowning east a sudden gust  
Of adverse fate is blown, or sad rains fall  
Day in, day out, against its yielding wall,  
Lo! The fair structure crumbles to the dust.  
Love, to endure life's sorrow and earth's woe,  
Needs friendship's solid mason-work below." – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

* * *

"You can leave that on Vaughn," Sydney said as Vaughn flipped to another channel.

"I didn't figure you for an ESPN watcher…"

Sydney chuckled, "No, I'm not, but that's ok – you can watch it."

"We can watch something you want to."

Sydney looked over at him, his soft green eyes so inviting and so full of love for her. She leaned over and cupped his cheek, kissing him lightly and resting her forehead against his. She hand moved down to his chin and she ran her thumb over the cleft, tugging lightly a few times before she leaned over and kissed him again.

They parted and Sydney smiled, "Turn ESPN back on."

He smiled and turned it to the Home and Garden channel and then handed her the remote.

Sydney chuckled, "You must want to take a nap, huh?" she asked with a smile.

He grinned at her, "No, actually, I'm looking forward to the tips on houseplants…" he paused, "Mom watches this channel all the time, I've been conditioned."

"Good to know," Sydney said, snuggling back down with him.

The door opened a while later, and the nurse that Sydney had talked to earlier came in.

"Hi," she said, "I'm Anna," she said smiling.

"Hi," Sydney said, "Well, I didn't introduce myself before, but I'm Sydney, and this is Michael, but I'm sure you know that one already."

"Yes, it's on his chart," Anna said smiling.

Sydney turned to Vaughn, "Anna was the nice nurse who allowed you to eat."

Vaughn chuckled, "Well thanks…"

Anna smiled at Vaughn, "I need to check your vitals, ok?"

"Sure," Vaughn replied.

Sydney got off the bed and moved the trays of food out the way, giving Anna the room she needed to check the machines.

She smiled at Vaughn when she was done, "Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Ok, I think Dr. Barker will be coming in to see you in a little while." She was about to turn, but stopped and then looked back at Vaughn, "I told Sydney this before, but I just thought I'd tell you too…I was here on the night shift last night and had to come in to check on you…I think that's the first time a couple has shared a hospital bed, and I swear, the emotion pouring out of this room could have lit the whole hospital…"

Vaughn smiled proudly, "She's my angel."

"She loves you just as much…" Anna smiled and turned, walking out of the door and closing it quietly.

Sydney smiled and came back to the bed, "Angel huh? That's you…"

"Nah…"

"Yes Vaughn…"

He smiled, "Not at the moment, you've assumed that duty…"

"You will always be my guardian angel baby…"

Vaughn smiled and pulled her hand until she was lying with him on the bed again.

They laid in silence for a few minutes, the Home and Garden channel buzzing away softly in the background. Vaughn looked over at Sydney and watched her as she watched the tips on home gardening. She finally noticed that she was being watched and looked over at him, his head resting on the pillow, his gaze fixed on hers. His smile brightened even more when she looked at him, his dimples flaring for an all too brief moment.

"What honey?" she asked softly.

"Nothing…I just love you…"

She smiled and kissed him, "Me too baby…"

"You're so beautiful…how did I get so lucky?"

Sydney looked at him seriously, "Because you're a wonderful man Michael. You ask that…but I wonder the same thing…"

Vaughn looked at her strangely, "You do?"

"Yes, of course I do…because you're amazing."

He smiled, "I think you've got it backwards."

"No, I don't. Stop being self-depreciating and accept my compliment."

Vaughn chuckled, "Yes ma'am. Thank you."

"You're welcome…and thank you."

Vaughn smiled and kissed her again. The door opened slowly as they were pulling apart.

Tom cleared his throat, "Ya know…I've got complaints from all over about you two. I've got the food prep department complaining that you order meals at strange times. The delivery nurse complaining that you don't notice she's in the room when she brings in the food because you're too busy smooching, and half of the rest of the nurse staff gushing cause you're so goddamn cute together, and now when I come in, I'm a personal witness. The amount of trouble and press you two cause, it's a good thing you're getting out of here soon."

Vaughn and Sydney laughed as Tom closed the door.

"Seriously, it's like a goddamn circus…she's so beautiful and he's SO gorgeous…" he changed his tone, "soooo cute…oh they are just the cutest couple…so loving. She was sleeping in his bed! Isn't that adorable?! She's always with him…" he stopped, rolling his eyes and settling on a grin. .

"Shut up Tom," Vaughn said, "or I'll tell the staff why Kaia is REALLY off of work…"

Tom stopped smiling, "That's MEAN dude!"

"No it's not," Vaughn said shaking his head, "Not when you play dirty."

Tom smiled again, "Let's check you over…then we can ship you out by the afternoon."

"Ok," Vaughn said.

Tom approached again and checked over the machines, looking for any signs of abnormality, and then proceeded to his physical examination. He checked Vaughn's shoulder first, and then said, "Ok, I want to check your ribs and the incision. I'm gonna have to take the wrap off…"

Vaughn nodded and Tom looked to Sydney for help. She helped Vaughn sit up and then held onto him as Tom took the wrap off and eased him back to the bed. Tom removed the bandage and checked the wound for any signs of infection or excessive bleeding. Finding no obstacles, he re-bandaged the wound and then gave Vaughn a sympathetic look before he said, "I'm sorry Mike, I still have to check your ribs."

"It's ok Tom," Vaughn answered.

Tom smiled gently and prodded carefully on Vaughn's ribs, watching for any of the warning signs for un-repaired ribs. Vaughn winced several times but Tom continued the exam. When he was finished, he had Sydney help hold Vaughn up again as he wrapped the ribs again and then eased him back down.

He checked Vaughn's breathing last, making him take a few deep breaths and hold them before he put his stethoscope away and smiled at Vaughn.

"Well…I'm happy to say Mike…that despite everything that's happened to you thus far…you're still gonna live…"

Vaughn snorted, "Gee thanks Tom…that was insightful."

"Sorry…no, really Mike, you're doing really well."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he smiled and looked at Sydney, "Ok…" he said in a relenting tone, "I'll agree…the chatterbox…they're right – you guys are cute and you work really well as a team."

Vaughn laughed and Sydney smiled as she said, "Well…it was bound to happen some time Tom…welcome to the dark side…"

Tom laughed, "I guess that's not such a bad place to be…" he smiled at the couple before looking at his watch, "Ok, well it's almost 10:30…here's what we'll do…you stay till noon at least – and rest…then we'll check you one more time, and we can have you outta here by 1:00. Sound like a plan?"

"Yep," Vaughn said nodding.

Sydney smiled, "That sounds great."

"Ok," Tom said with a nod, "You rest – take another nap…we'll check back after lunch." He smiled and walked out without another word.

Sydney turned to Vaughn, "See…I told ya."

Vaughn smiled, "Yes, you did." He rested his head back on the pillow. "I think I am gonna nap…"

Sydney smiled softly and ran her hand through his hair, "You do that…I'm gonna call Francie and Will…and tell your mom you're ok and that we'll be home later, ok?"

"Sure," Vaughn said with a yawn.

Sydney chuckled and kissed him before sitting in the chair to wait until he fell asleep.

He smiled and closed his eyes, happy that she was always willing to stay with him until he was sleeping.

She only had to wait a few minutes, and he was out. She checked him and then walked out, closing the door quietly.


	8. Chapter 203: Fortification

**Chapter 203: Fortification**

"In the darkest hour the soul is replenished and given strength to continue and endure." – Unknown

"If I can stop one heart from breaking,  
I shall not live in vain;  
If I can ease one life the aching,  
Or cool one pain,  
Or help one fainting robin  
Unto his nest again,  
I shall not live in vain." – Emily Dickinson

"A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

* * *

Sydney passed the nurses' station on her way to the payphone, noting that Anna, the nice nurse from before must have ended her shift, because the nurse back there now was rather…large and not-as-nice-looking.

She smiled at her nonetheless, getting a very fake smile in return.

She continued on, grabbing one of the receivers from the payphones and dialing her house.

"Hello?" Will answered.

"Hey Will."

"Hi Syd, you ok? Mike?"

"Yeah, we're both ok…he's gonna be coming home early this afternoon."

"That's great Syd…do you want us to come down?"

"No, that's ok…we're just going to be here until lunch, one more checkup and then he's good to go…"

"Ok…well you need us to do anything, you let us know."

"Ok, Will, thanks…can I talk to Amélie?"

"Sure, just a sec, let me get her."

Sydney waited patiently until the distinct voice of Vaughn's mother was saying, "Sydney? Is everything alright?"

Sydney smiled, "Yes Amélie, everything's fine. I just wanted to let you know we're coming home today, sometime this afternoon."

"Thank God he's alright…"

"Yeah, he's doing really well Amélie…really, I mean this trip to the hospital…I can't even begin to tell you how much this is different from the other hospital visits…I'll tell you all about it when we get home."

"Looking forward to it dear," Amélie said, the smile evident in her voice.

"Ok, well I'm gonna get back to him…"

"Ok, take care, see you in a few hours."

"Ok, bye Amélie."

"Goodbye Sydney."

Sydney hung up the phone and dialed her father's number.

"Bristow."

"Hi dad."

"Hello sweetheart, how is everything? Vaughn ok?"

"Yeah, we're going home today, this afternoon, I just thought I'd let you know."

"Ok, what time, I'll stop by."

Sydney smiled, "I'm not sure exactly, can I call you when we know for sure?"

"Of course."

"Ok…well I'll talk to you later then."

"Alright Sydney, talk to you later. Love you sweetheart."

Sydney paused, "I love you too dad."

She heard the other end of the phone click, and stared at the receiver for a minute, trying to remember the last conversation like that…so…normal…so paternal…so…unlike her father. She smiled at his change…still half expecting the phone to ring and the conversation to start over and end differently.

She shook her head and then hung up, one last call to make.

She picked up the receiver and dialed again.

"Weiss."

"Hi Eric."

"Hey Syd…what's wrong?"

Sydney chuckled, "Nothing, everything's fine…I was just calling to tell you Vaughn's going home today – this afternoon."

She could hear the sigh; "Thank God…you scared me for a minute…"

"Sorry Eric."

"No, I'm glad he's ok…when's he coming home? I can stop by if he's up to visitors."

"I'm not sure the exact time, can I call you?"

"Sure."

"Ok, I'll do that when we know for sure."

"Ok, sounds good Syd. Tell Mike I said hi."

"I'll do that Eric."

"Talk to you later Syd."

"Bye Eric."

Sydney hung up the phone and smiled, thinking of all the great people that surrounded her and Vaughn. She walked slowly back to his room, thinking about nothing but getting him home again.

She pushed open the door quietly, seeing him still napping on the bed. She smiled and sat in the chair next to the bed. Her mind wandered to all that had happened to him…and what might be yet to come. She knew that this was not the end of his struggle…there'd be more nightmares, perhaps more night terrors…more to face, more to deal with, but she couldn't help but think it might be slightly different now. He seemed to handle this trip so much better, he'd come so far…perhaps, this would be the turning point he'd need.

She smiled when she realized that was really idealistic…one trip to the hospital was not going to change his whole point of view or repair the damage that his whole ordeal had caused, but it helped. Every little bit helped.

Her thoughts drifted to Will and Francie…to Amélie…to Weiss…to her father…Her father had been a different person too since Vaughn was injured. There was no denying that everyone remotely close to Vaughn had been affected by this turn of events, the torture, his recovery…it was inevitable that the people around him would be pulled into it as well. The one that surprised her most though, was her father. She always knew that deep down he liked Vaughn, respected him in a silent way…but now…it was different, he showed his respect. Perhaps is was a kindred spirit sort of thing…that her father felt an affinity to a fellow torture sufferer…or perhaps it was that Vaughn had survived, that he continued to go on, that he hadn't turned into a cold, shell of a person as Jack Bristow had done so many years ago. Perhaps her father saw something in Vaughn that he could not accomplish until recently.

It was ironic; Jack Bristow learning from the son of the man his former wife had killed. Not as ironic as Sydney and Vaughn finding each other and making a relationship work out of a rather difficult and awkward family history, but if they could do it, then maybe her father learning from Vaughn wasn't so outlandish.

Hell, she'd learned so much from him already…about love and patience and strength. She thought it was funny whenever he told her that he depended on her for everything, because without him, she wouldn't have made it a week as a double agent. He was strength…Vaughn strength, and everything she learned about being strong and being there for someone else, she'd learned from him.

Before, he'd never asked for anything, he was completely content to just comfort her, to selflessly throw his life into the gauntlet to save her, protect her, love her. If that wasn't strength, she didn't know what was. He never once refused to hold her, to give her what she needed, be that space, or a complete lack thereof. And he never asked for anything in return, not when she treated him badly, not when she acted like a spoiled child…never. And through that all, he still kept his honesty, his loyalty, he never betrayed her…he was the one person that she could say had never disappointed her. He had never let her down, not once…

It was strange for her to think that he didn't see himself that way anymore. She knew consciously that she didn't know half of what had really happened to him, but to make him lose his confidence…she couldn't fathom what that could be. She knew in time she'd know, but it was a great source of frustration when he couldn't see that same strength shining through even in his darkest hour, when he was in pain or afraid…when he chose to get up the next morning, and start all over again.

He shifted in his sleep, bringing Sydney out of her thoughts, her gaze dropping to his slumbering form on the bed.

Now, all she had to do was help him realize that…


	9. Chapter 204: Threads of Sanity

**Chapter 204: Threads of Sanity**

"Love sustains us on life's turbulent waters." – Sharon Warren

"Life must be lived forwards, but can only be understood backwards." – Soren Kierkengaard

"It takes two to speak the truth, one to speak and one to hear." – Henry David Thoreau

* * *

Vaughn woke slowly, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He looked to his right and saw Sydney sitting in the chair next to his bed. She was staring off at the wall, obviously in thought, and all he could do was smile. He couldn't have thought of a better site to wake up to but the one sitting a few feet from him. 

He could see her thoughts as they entered and exited, watching her smile slightly and then frown. Next came a look of admiration…then love…then surprise…then a wistful look…a frightful look…a look of fear…an angry one…a lost look…and then determination and love again.  
At that last look of love her gaze turned and met his.

He was grinning like a fool as he watched her and when she turned to him, she looked shocked and slightly afraid.

"Vaughn?" she said.

"Hi," he said in reply with a smile.

She smiled bashfully, "How long have you been awake?" she asked as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Vaughn's smile grew impossibly larger, his whole face lighting up, "Long enough…"

She blushed, "You should have said something…"

"I wouldn't have traded that mural of emotions for anything…what were you thinking about?"

She smiled, "Everything…"

"That would explain the wide gamut of emotions…"

She smiled again, "Yeah…"

"Are you gonna tell me?"

She looked over at him, "Lots of things…really…you want to hear like everything?"

"Yes," he said determinedly.

Sydney smiled, "Ok…if you want to hear it…"

"I do…I thought we were gonna start doing that…" Vaughn said looking her in the eyes.

She got up and sat down on the bed scooting him over, and then laid down next to him, on her side, so she could look at him, "Yes, we did…"

"So go ahead," he encouraged.

"Well…I was thinking about our friends…and how wonderful they are…and then I was thinking about my dad…"

"What about him?" Vaughn asked.

"He's changed so much since you were taken…it's changed him…it's changed all of us…"

Vaughn said nothing; just let her talk.

"And it's been in a good way…my father especially…he's…so…fatherly…" Sydney said with a chuckle, "He's never been fatherly…it's strange…it always takes me by surprise, I expect that the other shoe is going to drop…and then he says something like 'I love you' and it just throws me…"

"But that's a good thing Sydney…"

"Yeah, I know it's a good thing…and it's because of you…it's because of what happened to you…"

"Why?" Vaughn asked.

"Because – he's realized I think how fragile it all can be…"

Vaughn nodded.

"He respects you more now…" Sydney said with a smile.

Vaughn smiled, "He does not…"

"He does too…he cares about you – he's told you that…"

Vaughn smirked, "Yeah…but I think that was more because he knows that you love me."

"I don't think so…really…Vaughn, he does…I know it's hard to believe – but now you get why I have such a hard time with this transition too…he's different…and it's ironic because it took something happening to you to make him change. I think he saw that you didn't turn into a cold person…you didn't shut off like he did…and that…made him reevaluate his choices…"

Vaughn thought a moment and then looked back at her, "So what else were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about you…and how I can make you see that you're the strongest person I know…"

Vaughn smiled, and shook his head, "I'm not…"

"Yes, you are," Sydney said forcefully, making him look at her, "and I'm gonna tell you why…"

He smiled.

"Not only are you always there for me…ALWAYS…you've been my tether to sanity for years, the one who held me, who talked to me, who worried about me, who would sacrifice everything for me. You are the only reason I'm here…you're strong Vaughn…you are."

Vaughn smiled at her, "Well, I don't feel that way…"

"I don't know how you can say that…just think Vaughn…not only did you survive the worst kind of torture…you are still YOU…you made the choice not to go the route my father did…you make the choice every time you have a setback to keep going…you make the choice to keep getting up Vaughn."

"Yeah, but Sydney, I wouldn't have if you wouldn't be there…because I know you're there…and because there are other people that care about me – I do it."

"Yeah, but baby, I was there when my father was going through everything…there were other people that cared about him too…and he chose to let himself get caught…trapped in non-emotion…do you see the difference? Now do you see how amazing you are?" she asked, touching his cheek.

Vaughn smiled, "No…"

She smiled back, "Well, that's ok…because I know, and I suppose it's good you're not egoist."

Vaughn chuckled, "Maybe I just don't accept compliments well…"

"Well…if they're sexual you do," she said jokingly.

Vaughn laughed, "Well…that's different, that's egoist."

Sydney giggled, "Really though…I want you to know – even if you don't believe it now."

"Thank you. But I think you're the amazing one."

Sydney smiled, "Thank you…" she touched his face again, "See…didja see that? See how I just accepted that compliment with no rebuttal?"

Vaughn smiled, "Not very modest of you."

Sydney rolled her eyes, "You're impossible."

"Thank you! That one I'll take…"

She shook her head, "Do you want lunch? It's about that time – then final check-up and then we're out of here."

"Sure…"

"Ok, I'll go try to talk to the very unfriendly looking nurse that's now on duty."

Vaughn chuckled, "Ok."

Sydney kissed once more and then got off the bed, walking out to the nurses' station.

She approached the desk with a warm smile, "Hi," she said.

The nurse looked up at her, "Yes?"

"I was wondering…if we could get something for lunch brought up to Mr. Vaughn's room…"

The nurse sighed, "Sure…I'll call food services…"

"Thank you," Sydney said cheerily, turning and walking back to Vaughn's room. When she reopened his door, he giggled at the face she made.

"She is definitely NOT as nice as Anna…"

Vaughn smiled, "They can't all be nice…they have patients like me to deal with."

"Yeah, you're such a bother," Sydney said with a short laugh, "They should be really happy that you're here…they don't have to do hardly anything…I don't think food is that large of a request."

"Maybe she's having a bad day…"

"Oh stop being rational," Sydney said sitting on the bed again and smiling at him.

"One of us has to…you with all your compliments – it probably should be me."

She smacked his arm lightly, "Stop it, or I'll have to punish you at home."

"Don't threaten me with a good time Sydney."

Sydney looked over at him mildly shocked, "Ok, now I know you're getting better," she said shaking her head.

He smiled and they tried to make sure that this time, they heard the food service lady.

Alas, they were mid-kiss when she pushed her cart in the room.

She let out an annoyed sound and simply left the cart in the room.

Sydney started to giggle as they parted and took the trays off of the cart, putting them on the table before she wheeled the squeaky cart back out into the hallway. When she came back into the room, Vaughn was laughing. "What?"

"How do we not hear that? It's SO loud…really…"

She smiled, "Well…we're in the moment…lost as you said."

Vaughn smiled as he let her cut his sandwich in half and then again in half so he had four triangles. She handed him one before she started to eat herself.

"How long you think it'll be before we can go?" Vaughn asked looking over at her as they ate.

"You anxious to get home?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I wanna go home…"

She reached over and touched his face, smiling at the little boy shining through, "Real soon baby…real soon…"


	10. Chapter 205: Take Him Home and Call Me i

**Chapter 205: Take Him Home and Call Me in the Morning**

"A faithful friend is the medicine of life." – Apocrypha

"Friendship needs no words..." – Dag Hammarskjold

* * *

They had just finished lunch when Tom came in the door, smiling at the two, "The food service lady is really glad you're going home," he said nodding.

Both Sydney and Vaughn chuckled.

Tom started again, "Ready for your last check-up?"

"Yeah, if it means I can get out of here."

Tom smiled, "Let's check you over," he looked to Sydney, "Then you can take him home and call me in the morning," he said with a wink before he went through the motions, checking Vaughn's shoulder and ribs, the incision and his breathing.

When he was done, he stepped back and put his stethoscope back around his neck, "Well…you ready to go home?" he asked.

Vaughn smiled widely, "Hell yeah."

Tom laughed, "Ok…I'll get the ambulance ready and then we'll getcha home."

Vaughn looked over at Sydney as Tom went out the door and she moved closer, sitting on the bed again, "You should just listen to me…" she said with a wink.

He smiled, "I know…"

They didn't have much time to wait, Tom reemerging with EMTs and a stretcher to take him home. They lifted Vaughn onto the gurney and took a few minutes to get him situated comfortably before they started wheeling him down the hall, Sydney in tow right by his side, Tom on the other.

They loaded him in the ambulance and started their drive to Sydney's house. Sydney was happy that on this return trip, there were no sirens and no ambulance speeding. Tom kept Vaughn occupied for the larger part of the trip, talking about sports and reminiscing about college parties. Sydney was also relived that this ride was pleasantly uneventful and they arrived at her house in no time, unloading him with skill and easing him back into bed after they maneuvered through the house.

Will and Francie and Amélie followed the medical entourage into the bedroom, watching and listening intently.

The EMTs then went out, leaving Tom for last minute instructions. "Ok Sydney, he has only that one "new" incision – which can be cared for just like all the other ones and we removed a bunch of the other bandages on his back because they were healing well and can continue to heal now without being covered. Most of them have scabs now; they aren't open wounds. There are still a fair number of them that need to be checked and have the dressings changed, but the number has lessened at least, and every one counts right?"

Vaughn smiled and Sydney nodded, "Right."

"Ok, so – monitor those and everything like you've been doing. The shoulder HAS to stay in the sling for at least ONE WEEK. You hear me?" he said looking between both of them.

They both nodded guiltily.

"ONE WEEK…and then I'll come back and evaluate if it still needs to be in the sling. The more you use it now – the more you'll screw it up later. You can keep doing the finger exercises with the stress balls – that will help the muscles to heal. The oxygen you can continue to taper until you don't need it. Other than that – just rest for at least today, and most of tomorrow, not a lot of moving around…ok?"

"Yeah, ok Tom," Vaughn said.

"I'll make sure he takes it easy," Sydney said with a smile.

Tom looked at her, "That's what I thought…"

Sydney smiled, "Well…he's on bed rest for now…"

Vaughn grinned, "Yup…lots of bed rest…"

"That means napping, you two realize…" Tom said looking again between the pair. He looked over at Francie and Will and Amélie, "Well – someone make sure he rests for awhile."

Will chuckled, "Don't look at me – Syd can kick my ass…"

Amélie smiled, "I'll try to do my best – but even mothers can only do so much."

Tom chuckled as well, "No baths until tomorrow either…doctors orders…"

Vaughn nodded.

"Got it," Sydney said.

"Ok, then I'll leave you to it. If you need refills on pain meds or anything, just give me a call."

"We'll do that Tom…thanks," Sydney said hugging him.

He hugged her back and then went over to Vaughn and hugged him gently, "See ya buddy."

"Bye Tom."

He looked at Sydney again as he was about to walk out, "Give me a call tomorrow morning, just let me know how he's doing. He'll probably sleep a lot today."

"Ok, I'll call tomorrow."

"Bye guys," Tom called as he walked out of the bedroom. They heard the front door close a few moments later.

Sydney sat down on the bed with Vaughn as Amélie came closer, "How are you feeling?" she asked her son.

He smiled, "I'm a little tired…little sore…but I'm ok."

Amélie smiled slightly, "You should rest…"

Vaughn yawned and Sydney agreed, "Yeah, baby…you take a nap…ok?"

Vaughn nodded, "You gonna stay till I fall asleep?" he asked.

Sydney smiled, "Don't I always?"

Vaughn smiled at her and Amélie leaned over to kiss her son's head, "You have a nice nap…"

"Thanks mom."

Amélie followed Will and Francie out of the room. Will's head popped back in, "See ya in a while Mike."

"Yeah ok Will."

Sydney got up and shut the door and then returned to the bed. "You wanna lay down more? You're sort of…elevated…"

Vaughn chuckled, "No, I think it's more comfortable this way actually, I'll be fine."

"Ok…" Sydney said as she sat down on the bed next to him, snuggling close and resting her head on his good shoulder for a minute.

They just laid for a while, as Vaughn started to doze, Sydney moved her head and repositioned him so he could at least lay his head back.

He grunted while she moved him, but then settled back comfortably in the bed. "Night Syd…" he mumbled as he fell asleep.

She waited as she always did, waiting to hear his breath deepen, his body calm and then she got off the bed and padded out of the room quietly, shutting the door gently.

She walked out into the kitchen and picked up the phone.

"Bristow."

"Hi dad."

"Hello sweetheart. Are you on your way home?" Jack asked.

"No, we're here already, but Vaughn's napping for awhile. Why don't you come over for dinner…he should be up by then."

"That sounds wonderful. Should I bring anything?"

"Nope, we got that covered."

"Ok, what time sweetheart?"

"Six?"

"Sure, six it is…I'll see you then."

"Ok, bye dad."

"Goodbye Sydney, I love you."

"I love you too dad," Sydney said, smiling like the little girl who wanted her father's approval so much.

She hung up and dialed quickly again.

"Weiss."

"Hi Eric."

"Hey Syd…you home?"

"Yeah, we just got here, but Vaughn's sleeping…you wanna come over for dinner?"

"Sure! What time?"

"Six?"

"I'll be there."

"Ok, see you then Eric."

"Bye Syd."

Sydney hung up once again and then walked to the living room where Amélie and Will and Francie were all talking quietly.

"Francie, I just pretty much invited everyone over for dinner…you think you'll have time to whip something up? Or should we go out and get something."

"I can fix something," Francie said, "What time are we eating?" She asked with a smile.

"I told them six," Sydney said wincing, "I hope that's ok."

"It's fine…I could make three meals in that time," Francie said, "I don't even have to start for an hour or so."

"Cool," Sydney said smiling, "Thanks."

"Anytime."

Amélie looked at Sydney, "Is he really ok?" she asked quietly.

Sydney smiled, "Yeah I think so."

"You said you were going to tell me why this hospital trip was different for Michael."


	11. Chapter 206: BOING

**Chapter 206: BOING**

"I can sit in a ballpark after a game and love looking at the field. Everybody's gone, and the ballpark is empty, and I'll sit there. I sit there and think, 'Is this as close to heaven as I'm going to get?' Or, 'If I get to heaven, will there be baseball?" – Kim Braatz-Voisard

"When you jump for joy, beware that no one moves the ground from beneath your feet." – Stanislaw J. Lec

"Risk – If one has to jump a stream and knows how wide it is, he will not jump. If he doesn't know how wide it is, he'll jump and six times out of ten he'll make it." – Persian

* * *

Sydney smiled again, "Yes…" she thought a moment, "He's just…better…I can tell. He's come so far, I'm so proud of him."

Amélie smiled, "How so?"

"The first time we were at the hospital, he was just incredibly scared…of everything. The circumstances surrounding his torture were bad enough, but the hospital just added new terrors. Then, he went to the Naval Hospital, and things were better…they progressed even more when he got home here…but…he's had so many setbacks and nightmares and everything, it's just hard for him to see that he's come so far. The x-ray didn't go well the first time, but I realized…this time…he made the choice for himself. While he still wanted me there, while he was still in pain, still afraid, he used that all differently this time. He made the choice for surgery." She paused, "It's funny…but really…I think this trip…was really good for him in an odd way. He dealt with his fear, and I don't think he's afraid of the hospital anymore. He's still not a fan, but ya know…it's a huge step. He doesn't think so of course, but that's why I keep telling him."

Sydney stopped, looking at the smiling faces of her friends and Vaughn's mother, "What?" she asked.

Amélie was the first to speak, "My son is incredibly lucky…"

Sydney blushed, "Well…someone's got to tell him…"

They all sat in a pensive silence until Sydney broke it again, "Amélie…"

"Yes?"

"Tell me another story about Michael."

Amélie chuckled, "What kind of story would you like to hear?"

"Um…one where he was bad…" Sydney said with a chuckle.

"I take it you want ammunition to tease him?"

Sydney smiled, "Perhaps…"

Amélie thought a moment, "Well…then I better make it a good one…" She sat for a few seconds, "Ok…" she smiled widely, "Michael was about eleven. After his father died, he was very responsible…almost too responsible for his age, but there were times…when he still acted foolishly, got in trouble, as boys do. I don't remember why exactly, but I grounded him for something. He was confined to his room, no television, no radio for I believe a week. Every afternoon after school, he would get off the bus, come in for his snack, and then he had to go to his room to do homework. That was a normal routine, but with the grounding, he had to stay in his room, and I made it clear, that he should be studying or reading or something constructive or at least non-entertaining." She paused to smile and shake her head, "Well…one afternoon after school, it must have been about day four or so…he came in for his snack and he asked me if I would let him out of his grounding for a few hours to go play baseball with his friends. Of course, I had to be stern, he was after all grounded; I said no…that he should have thought about that before he did whatever it was he did. Well, he stomped off to his room and I didn't hear another word out of him…"

**Flashback****  
**Michael was trying extremely hard to concentrate on the history text book that was laying on his desk, but his mind kept wandering to things that were not exactly historical…the crack of the baseball bat as it connected with the ball…the sound that was made when a ball hit a mitt…the sound of his friends' voices as they shouted for someone to run home…

That was far more interesting than the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and it was made increasingly more difficult when every baseball fact and players stats kept running through his head.

Between that and the visceral sounds that were penetrating his ears, he could hardly stand to look at the book anymore; the words just blurred together as his mind wandered farther and farther away.

He was shaken out of his blur when he heard something hit his window. A small, distinct noise, then another…then another. He pushed the chair back from his desk and went over to the window. When he opened it, a small pebble came flying at him, hitting him on the cheek.

"OW!" he said, "What the heck?"

He looked down to see his friend, Tyler, grinning up at him, "Hi Mikey!" he yelled.

"SHHHH!!! My mom will hear you!"

"Sorry," Tyler said, "So you coming to the game? Everybody's there…they're all waiting…"

"I can't," Michael said, "I'm grounded…my mom's downstairs…there's no way I can sneak out…"

Tyler thought a moment, "Well…can't you…darnit! We need you to play! The team's not complete!"

"I'm sorry…I can't!" Michael said, looking at the door to make sure his mother wasn't standing there with that disapproving look when he was in trouble.

"But Mikey!" Tyler whined, "We can't play without a full team! Can't you get out?!"

"How?" Michael said, his brain trying to figure out a strategic way out of this mess.

Tyler suddenly squealed.

"What?" Michael asked.

"THE TRAMPOLINE!"

"What?" Michael asked again.

"You can jump out of the window onto the trampoline!"

"Tyler…are you insane? I'll kill myself!"

"No you won't…I'll stand here and make sure you don't bounce off…"

Michael weighed the options, "Tyler…I can't…"

"Yes you can…please? PLEASE MIKEY?"

Michael looked at the pleading face of his friend, "Ok…get the trampoline," he said, glancing back at the door to make sure his mother wasn't there. He walked over to the door and pressed his ear against it, making sure she wasn't approaching and then went back to the window and opened it all the way. He looked down to see Tyler positioning the trampoline under the window. He stuck one foot out and then sat on the ledge.

"Move it out a little more Tyler…"

"Ok Mikey…" Tyler said, dutifully moving the trampoline out more.

Michael took a deep breath, trying to figure out if the trampoline was positioned right, but then decided there was only one way to find out. He took another deep breath, "Ok Tyler…here we go…"

He pushed himself off the ledge…

"Mrs. Vaughn! MRS. VAUGHN!" Tyler screamed from the front porch, banging on the door.

Amélie came rushing to the door, "Tyler? What's the matter?"

"It's Mikey! I think he's dead!"

"WHAT?! Tyler he's upstairs…"

"NO he's not! He's dead in your flowers!"

"Show me!" Amélie said worriedly, running after Tyler to the side of the house.

Michael was lying face down in the middle of the flowerbed. "OH MY GOD! Michael!"


	12. Chapter 207: The Not So Great Flower Esc

**Chapter 207: The Not-So-Great Flower Escape**

"His mother had often said, When you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action. She had emphasized the corollary of this axiom even more vehemently: when you desired a consequence you had damned well better take the action that would create it." – Lois McMaster Bujold

"A mother is not a person to lean on but person to make leaning unnecessary." – Dorothy Fisher

"Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearing of little children tends towards the formation of character." – Hosea Ballou

* * *

Amélie rushed over in time to see Michael slowly rolling over.

"Michael! What happened?"

"Uuuhhh…"

"Michael," Amélie took stock of the situation, looking at the trampoline, the open window, and Tyler, "Did you jump?" she asked.

Michael nodded weakly.

"Can you move?"

"Yeah…I…I think s-so…" he said, accepting the hand that his mother was offering him and slowly sat up, "Owwwwwwwwww!" he screamed, pain riveting off of him, his face scrunched tightly in a grimace.

"Michael…where are you hurt?"

"My arm…OUCH!" he said as his mother gently touched his arm. Amélie could see the pain in her son's eyes, the tears on the verge of falling, but when he saw her look at him, he pushed the tears away.

"We have to get you to the doctor right away…are you hurt anywhere else? Can you walk?"

"I think so," he said, standing up with his mother's help.

"Let's go…did you hit your head?"

"No…just landed in the dirt…"

"WHAT were you thinking Michael? You could have killed yourself!"

"I landed on the trampoline…but I bounced off…"

"And landed right in the middle of my petunias!"

Vaughn nodded, "I'm sorry mom…"

"We'll worry about that later…come on…" she said, ushering him to the car. Once they were in the car, she made a makeshift sling and made sure his arm stayed close to his body.

The car ride was silent; Michael didn't say a word. Amélie looked over at him repeatedly, wondering if he had a concussion or was dazed, but he looked alert.

"Michael?" she finally asked worriedly, "are you ok?"

He looked over at her, "Yeah…I'm really sorry mom."

"Let's just get you looked at," Amélie said.

Amélie led Michael into the emergency room; the doctors ordering x-rays the instant they saw the arm. Six hours later, Amélie took her son home, his arm casted from his wrist to past his elbow, having broken the arm in three places.

The ride home was silent, Michael looking out the window as the scenery passed them by, wondering what new punishment would await him when he got home. His mind wondered if his mother would ground him till next year, if she'd refuse to let him play hockey, not that he'd be playing any time soon.

Finally, he let out a sigh he didn't realize was out loud.

"Michael?" his mother said.

"Yeah?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah…"

There was silence again, before Michael asked quietly, "So I guess I'm in even more trouble now…"

Amélie was silent.

"I'm sorry…" he said, looking over at her, "Don't make me quit playing hockey mom…I'm sorry I ruined your flowers…"

Amélie was dying on the inside, one part of her wanting to punish her son for further disobeying her, the other part wanting to ease her son's rapidly wandering fears.

"Michael…" she started, "I'm not going to make you quit hockey…I'm not worried about the flowers…I can replace flowers…I can't replace you. You nearly gave me a heart attack…"

"I'm sorry…"

"You made a mistake…we all make mistakes," she turned to look at him, his green eyes meeting her, "Ok?"

He nodded and then looked down.

"I think you've learned your lesson Michael…the ER visit…the very long one, I think that was penance enough – plus you'll be paying for it for the next six weeks…I think you're grounding is over."

He looked over at his mother in awe, "Really?"

"Yes, really…and I think I'm going to have a talk with Tyler's mother…"

Michael smiled, "Yeah…"

"I'm not happy you disobeyed me, and I think it was foolish to jump from your window simply to play with Tyler…but I'd never take something like hockey away from you…and I'm just glad you're alright."

Michael smiled at his mother again, "Thanks mom."

Amélie smiled and the rest of the ride was spent in comfortable silence. When they pulled into the driveway, Tyler and a number of other boys ran up to the car.

"Mikey!" Tyler yelled, "You're alive! Mikey…I was telling the guys," the words started tumbling out in rapid succession, "About you jumping and landing on the trampoline and then FLYING through the air," he demonstrated with body gestures, "and then you just landed in the flowers," Tyler smacked his hands together. He smiled, "It was SO cool!" he said with glee until Amélie shot him a disapproving glance, and his head dropped down in shame.

"Did you get a cast?" one of the other boys asked.

Michael looked at him with a 'duh' stare, "Yes," he said somewhat annoyingly.

"Can I sign it?" one boy asked.

"ME FIRST!" another shouted.

"NO!" Tyler yelled, "I should get to be the first one! I saved him!"

Amélie cleared her throat, "BOYS!"

The chatter stopped immediately, all eyes falling on Michael's mother, "Tyler…why don't you come inside…you can sign the cast…and then we're going to call your mother and tell her about your role in this whole thing."

Tyler's eyes went wide, "No, no, don't call my mom! She's gonna kill me!"

Michael smiled as his mother gave him a sideways glace, "Come along Michael…Tyler…let's go."

Michael followed his mother into the house, Tyler trailing behind, his head hung low.

Amélie pointed to the kitchen chairs for the boys to sit. She picked up the phone and started to call Tyler's mother.

Tyler looked over at Michael, "I'm in big trouble…"


	13. Chapter 208: Scooby Doo and Mommy Too

**Chapter 208: Scooby Doo and Mommy Too**

"Surely your gladness need not be the less for the thought that you will one day see a brighter dawn than this - when lovelier sights will meet your eyes than any waving trees or rippling waters - when angel-hands shall undraw your curtains, and sweeter tones than ever loving Mother breathed shall wake you to a new and glorious day - and when all the sadness, and the sin, that darkened life on this little earth, shall be forgotten like the dreams of a night that is past!" – Lewis Carroll

"Why the hell are we conditioned into the smooth strawberry-and-cream mother-goose, Alice-and- Wonderland fable, only to be broken on the wheel as we grow older and become aware of ourselves as individuals with a dull responsibility in life?" – Sylvia Plath

* * *

Michael smiled, "Sorry…"

"It's ok," Tyler said, "I'm glad you're ok…I'm sorry I made you jump."

"You didn't make me jump," Michael said, "I did that on my own."

Tyler nodded, "Yeah, but I wanted you to. I pushed you to jump…"

Amélie smiled as she watched the boys exchange blame.

The phone was picked up on the other end, "Hello?"

"Hello…Diane? This is Amélie."

"Well hello Amélie, how are you doing?"

"I'm ok…but Michael had a bit of an accident today. It seems that he and Tyler were trying to orchestrate an escape from Michael's grounding, and well, Michael and he devised a plan where Michael jumped from his bedroom window onto the trampoline. Let's just say, while he landed on the trampoline, the cause and effect of the jump has resulted in his right arm being broken in three places."

"Oh my God Amélie! Is he alright?"

"Yes, he's got a cast, but he's ok…I just thought you should know."

"Where is Tyler?"

"He's sitting her at the kitchen table with Michael."

"You send that boy home RIGHT NOW."

"I'll do that. Just know though Diane, they both played an equal part here…don't go too hard on Tyler."

"Ok Amélie, thank you for telling me."

"I'll talk to you soon. Goodbye."

Amélie hung up the phone and turned to the boys. Michael's bright green eyes were slightly darker than normal, and she could see that even though he wasn't admitting it, his arm hurt. She reminded herself to give him something for the pain after Tyler was gone.

Tyler looked scared, and obviously did not want to go home, thoughts of punishments running through his head as he could almost feel the nails being pounded into his coffin.

"Tyler," Amélie said, "Your mother would like you to go straight home."

"Yes ma'am," he said, dutifully and guiltily getting up from the chair, "I'm sorry Mrs. Vaughn…and Michael."

"Bye Tyler," Michael said.

"See ya…"

Michael suddenly remembered, "You wanna sign the cast before you go?"

Tyler's face brightened, "Can I?"

"Sure," Michael said, getting up from the chair and walking to the drawer to get a marker. He handed it to Tyler who greedily started signing, marking the cast for the first time. His tongue stuck out the corner of his mouth as he signed his name and a brief message that said, "See you next jump." He smiled with glee as Vaughn read the message.

"Nice Tyler," he said.

Tyler smiled and then waved to both he and Amélie and ran out the door.

Michael turned to his mother, "You think he's gonna be in really big trouble mom?"

Amélie smiled at her son, "I'm not sure…"

Michael nodded, not sure of what the next course of events would be.

Amélie sensed his uncertainty. She walked over to her son and pulled him into a hug, kissing the top of his head and running her hand through his dirty blonde hair. "Michael…I'm so glad you're ok. I don't know what I would have done…" she trailed off, not wanting to think about losing him.

When she pulled back, Michael's eyes were misty, but again, he refused to let the tears spill.

"Michael…" she said, turning his chin up to look at her, "You know honey if you want to cry, that's ok. You're still a boy Michael…you don't have to be strong all the time…I know you think you have a responsibility, but you can cry…"

Michael nodded and looked up at his mother, but he didn't cry.

Amélie smiled at him, "Why don't we get you some milk…you should take some of the medicine the doctor gave us. It will keep the pain and the swelling down."

Michael nodded and sat down by the table again, tracing patterns on the tablecloth with his left hand while he cradled his casted arm to his chest.

"Does it hurt a lot Michael?"

He nodded.

She sat the glass of milk down on the table and sat two of the pills down next to the glass. Michael took them obediently and sat the empty glass down on the table before he looked up at his mother again.

"Why don't we get the sling too…that should help with the pain…" Amélie suggested.

Michael nodded and followed his mother when she motioned for him to follow her. She led him upstairs to his room and helped him change into more comfortable clothes before she sat him on the bed and disappeared to get the sling. He let his mother help him get the cast in the sling and then she smiled warmly and led him downstairs again to the living room. She made him lay down on the couch and covered him with a blanket and then handed him the remote to the television.

Michael smiled and watched as his mother turned on the lights and then went out of the living room. As he turned on the television, he thought it was rather ironic that he had started out grounded today and wound up lying on the couch being waited on by the very person that grounded him in the first place.

When Amélie came back into the living room, she had a glass in her hand, and she handed it to Michael who grinned as he saw what was in the glass.

"Thanks mom…" he said as he started to suck the vanilla milkshake through the straw his mother had provided. After he downed about half of it, he looked at her, "I'm sorry I worried you today…I didn't mean to…"

"I know that Michael. I'm just glad you're safe," she said, sitting down on the couch and ruffling through his hair before she kissed his forehead.

"Wanna watch TV with me mom?" Michael asked.

Amélie smiled at her little boy, "Sure Michael…what are we gonna watch?" she asked as she moved to sit with him on the couch, pulling him into her arms so he was leaning against her, his head resting on her chest.

"Mmm…" he looked up at her, "Cartoons? Scooby's on," he said with a look of excitement and wonder.

She smiled, "Sure."

He looked up at her again, "Can you not tell anyone I said that…"

"Of course Michael," Amélie said, her hand running through his hair, "I wouldn't dream of it."

The medications and the pain from the day put Michael to sleep in no time. Amélie smoothed her son's hair back, and gently laid him back on the couch, covering him and kissing his forehead.

She changed for bed, and then came back into the living room, taking the recliner across from him, and sleeping in the chair keeping watch over him.  
**End Flashback****  
**


	14. Chapter 209: Living Slideshow

**Chapter 209: Living Slideshow**

"The secret of a good memory is attention, and attention to a subject depends upon our interest in it. We rarely forget that which has made a deep impression on our minds." – Tryon Edwards

"Pride is the recognition of the fact that you are your own highest value and, like all of man's values, it has to be earned." – Ayn Rand

"I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it." – Harry S Truman

* * *

Amélie smiled as she stared off for a moment and thought about the past, about Michael as a boy, about his foolish jump, about her undying love for her son.

Sydney was smiling too, in fact, the whole room was smiling, "That was adorable," Sydney said.

Amélie turned to her from her thoughts, "Well, now it is…at the time, I was halfway between murdering him for worrying me so much and smothering him with affection." Amélie chuckled, "He is a wonderful child. They always say when your children grow that you remember and wish they were younger, but I'm afraid it only gets better; your love grows to places you didn't think were possible with every passing year. I love Michael more now than I did then, more every day…"

They other occupants simply smiled, lost in their own thoughts and having nothing else to add to that heartfelt and profound statement.

"Thank you for sharing that with us Amélie," Sydney said with a loving smile.

"Does that give you more ammunition to tease Michael?" Amélie asked.

Sydney thought a moment, "Well…it would, but I just wound up loving him more too…so probably not." Sydney paused, "You've done a wonderful job with your son…"

Amélie looked at her proudly, "Thank you, I think so. He's a wonderful man."

"He is," Sydney agreed, "You're a wonderful mother…"

Amélie blushed, "Well, I made my share of mistakes, as we all do…but I'm very proud of the man he's become."

"You should be."

"He did a lot of that himself though; he's made himself into what he wants to be…I was only there to guide the way. He had to make the decisions."

"That's what makes you a great mother," Sydney said.

"Well, thank you dear."

Sydney nodded.

Francie piped up, "I should start thinking about what to make…" she got up off the couch.

Will was about to get up to follow, "I can help."

"No honey, it's ok. I have to figure out what we're having first, then I'll let you know."

"Ok," Will said, sitting down again.

Amélie smiled, "So how are you doing Will? How's work? You're with the CIA too now, right?"

Will smiled, "Yeah, I'm just an analyst though…"

"Yeah, you're just the best analyst they have Will," Sydney said.

Will blushed and smiled, "Well, I'm good at what I do…and I like it too."

"Wonderful," Amélie said, "No field work though right?"

"No, I'm just a desk man," Will said with a smile.

Sydney added, "That's a better place to be sometimes Will…" her voice trailed off. Everyone knew what she was thinking.

Will nodded, "Yeah, I really like my job though. I'm happy."

Amélie smiled, "That's good to hear Will, you're such a nice boy."

Will blushed again, "Thank you, that's very sweet."

"Are you going to tell us another story Amélie?" Sydney asked.

Amélie chuckled, "Would you like me to tell you another story?"

"Of course," Sydney said with a happy and childlike smile, "I love hearing about Michael's childhood."

"Pretty soon, I'm sure he's going to drag some of yours out of you."

"Well, there's not a lot to tell about mine…it was…different to say the least," Sydney said.

"Still, I'm sure he'd like to hear about it."

"Well, my father will be here tonight, maybe if Michael plays his cards right, we'll get a story."

Amélie smiled, "That would be wonderful."

Sydney smiled back, "We'll see…"

Amélie thought a moment, "Hmm…let's see…" she chuckled, "Well I told you the one where he got drunk, right?"

Sydney and Will laughed, "Yeah, you told us that one…which I still can't imagine."

Amélie smiled, "It's difficult to come up with them sometimes, my memories of Michael's childhood are sort of like a living slideshow in my mind sometimes…picking out incidents is like trying to pick a second segment of an over-thirty-year movie…"

Sydney smiled, "Well…what was he like as a baby?"

"He was a very frustrated baby…" she laughed, "He was always sure there was something he was missing I think…and he never missed anything, he watched EVERYTHING. You could see his mind working, his eyes flashing while he learned. It was quite amazing. He would get angry that he couldn't walk. He hated crawling. He started to walk at nine months," she smiled, "after that, he was always moving. Always."

Sydney giggled, "That sounds so like Vaughn."

"Once he knew he could do things, that was it…" she smiled again, "hockey, baseball, pool, he was always busy, in or out of the house. He was never bored, and if he was, we'd figure out something for him to do. He was a happy child, a loving boy, did well in school, loved being outside…"

Sydney had a look of complete of love on her face, imagining Vaughn as a child.

Francie walked back to the living room, "Ok Will, you can help now. I'm making cream chicken on rice."

"Ooo, that sounds good," Sydney said.

Amélie agreed, "It pays to have your own personal chef at home…"

Francie smiled, "It does have its benefits." She looked to Sydney, "You think Michael's gonna want to eat in there?"

Sydney thought, "Well, I'm not sure. Everyone will be here…I don't know if we can all get in the bedroom…unless we sit on the floor. I'll go check on him now – maybe he can come out here on the couch."

"Ok," Francie said, "Let's go Will…"

Will got up and dutifully followed her to the kitchen.

"I'll be back Amélie," Sydney said.

"Ok," Amélie said with a smile, watching Sydney get up to go check on her son.


	15. Chapter 210: Arbitration

**Chapter 210: Arbitration**

"Discourse, the sweeter banquet of the mind." – Homer

"Compromise. Such an adjustment of conflicting interests as gives each adversary the satisfaction of thinking he has got what he ought not to have, and is deprived of nothing except what was justly his due." – Ambrose Bierce

"The art of love...is largely the art of persistence." – Albert Ellis

* * *

Sydney pushed the door open quietly, seeing Vaughn napping peacefully on the bed. She knew he needed to rest, but she also knew he would have to eat, and he should wake up for a while at least, so he could sleep through the night. She watched him for a few minutes before she sat on the bed.

"Vaughn…" she said quietly, waking him like she always did. She ran her hand through his hair and he opened his eyes slowly.

"Hey," he said sleepily.

"You ok?" she asked, her hand resting on his chest.

"Yeah, just tired. How long did I sleep?"

"Couple hours."

He nodded.

"Everyone is gonna come over for dinner…I hope that's ok."

"Sure," Vaughn said with a smile.

"Francie also wanted me to ask you where you wanted to eat…If you were tired and wanted to stay in here, or wanted to go out on the couch."

Vaughn thought a moment, "Well…I mean…I guess I can go out on the couch…"

Sydney looked down at him, "Vaughn…if you're tired or you're in pain, we can eat in here."

"Well, where are people going to sit Sydney?" he asked.

Sydney smirked, "They'll sit where we tell them. We can bring in chairs."

"Why don't you guys just eat at the table and then you can come in and visit."

Sydney shook her head, "No…that's not the point of them coming over, and I don't want to eat without you. That wouldn't be very nice of us."

"Well, I'll nap."

"Oh yeah, that makes it better…" Sydney said sarcastically.

"Look, I don't really feel that well. I don't want to go on the couch; I'd rather stay here tonight. And it's impractical for everyone to squish in here…so you eat at the table, then they can come in and visit."

"Well Vaughn, they're gonna need some place to sit to visit…it's no different if they bring their plate."

"You can bring in chairs after you eat…eat out there."

"Well, then I'm going to eat in here with you."

"No, you're going to eat out there with them."

"What and when are you going to eat."

"I'm not really hungry right now."

"Vaughn…"

"What?"

"Why are you doing this?"

"I'm not 'doing this,' I'm being practical. I'm not hungry and I don't want to go out there, and it makes more sense for them to eat out there with you – this is not about guilt or about anger or about fear or anything – I'm just trying to think of the best scenario for the evening."

Sydney smiled.

"What?" Vaughn asked, a smile forming as well.

"You're really…all gung ho about you making decisions now, aren't you?"

"You complaining?"

"No…I just don't want you to be in here all alone while we eat – it sucks being stuck in here as it is Vaughn, it's even worse to be stuck in here with us out there having a good time." Sydney paused, "Would you reconsider if I asked you nicely? And the whole 'practical' thing – no one gives a shit…" she said with a smirk.

Vaughn chuckled as a new smile worked its way to his mouth, "How about dessert…"

Sydney smiled, "Deal."

"But you eat with them," Vaughn said.

Sydney smiled and ran her finger down his shirt, from his neck all the way down to the bottom of the shirt, "I can visit with them when they come in for dessert too…I'd rather eat with you…spend some time alone…" she let her voice trail off, looking up at him through hooded lashes.

Vaughn swallowed with difficulty, "Uh…but I'm not hungry…"

"Then you can just relax…and I'll eat…maybe you can have a bite or two…" she said as she continued to toy with his shirt. "Whatdya say?" she asked with her best persuasive smile.

Vaughn caved in an instant, his answer a breathy, "Oook…"

Sydney smiled and stopped her toying, kissed him quickly on the cheek, "Good!"

She bounded off out the door like a little girl, turning to look at him before she went out.

"You played that well Ms. Bristow…" Vaughn said.

"Thank you Mr. Vaughn, I think so…" she smiled and went out the door.

Vaughn looked at the door, smiling and thinking about the way he was just totally out-strategized by Sydney.

Her head popped back in a moment later, "Oh…and Vaughn – later…we're going to discuss a few things."

"Like?" he asked.

"Like…windows…trampolines…petunias…" she said with a wink.

"Oh my God," Vaughn said, bringing his hand up to cover his face.

"Mikey's dead in the flowers!" Sydney squealed with laughter before she came back in the room and sat down again, kissing him gently.

Vaughn chuckled, "Yeah…it hurt!"

Sydney smiled, "I'm sure it did…but that was a really asinine thing to do."

"Well…my team needed me…"

"Uh huh…"

"What do you do – ask for every story of every stupid thing I've ever done?"

Sydney thought a moment; "Uh…yeah, pretty much."

Vaughn chuckled, "I'm gonna get you back…"

"Oh yeah? How?"

"Have to wait and see…"

Sydney smiled, "I'm slightly intrigued…"

"Mmmhmm…you just wait."

Sydney leaned down and kissed him, her tongue pushing slowly into his mouth. She broke away momentarily, "You gonna tell me trampoline boy?"

"Nope…not gonna drag this one outta me…"

Sydney looked at him in disbelief, a hint of seduction beneath that, "You sure I can't entice you to tell me?" she asked as her hands began to roam.

"Noooope," Vaughn said in a sing-song voice as Sydney continued her assault in an attempt to make him cave.

Sydney's hand moved down the bed, over the covers to where she knew his penis would be. She ran her hand over the covers, all the while keeping up a steady stream of kisses to his neck.

"Syd," Vaughn breathed, "You better stop…my mother is in the next room…as are your," he stopped when Sydney gripped him through the covers, "ROOMATES," he said louder, "and…your dad," he said breathlessly as her attention started to get the best of him, "will be here sooooon…ugh…"

Sydney smiled, knowing that she'd get it out of him soon enough.

However, she had to stop abruptly, leaving Vaughn with an unsatisfied moan, as they were interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and her father and Weiss walking in.

Sydney backed off, looking down at an out-of-breath Vaughn, "Guess I'll have to wait," she said.

He smiled frustratingly, "Me too," he said.

She smiled and kissed him quickly, "Later honey, later."

Vaughn nodded and watched as she walked out of the room to greet her father and Weiss.


	16. Chapter 211: It’s Not Negotiable

**Chapter 211: It's Not Negotiable**

"The argument is at an end." – Saint Augustine

"INNATE, adj. Natural, inherent -- as innate ideas, that is to say, ideas that we are born with, having had them previously imparted to us. The doctrine of innate ideas is one of the most admirable faiths of philosophy, being itself an innate idea and therefore inaccessible to disproof, though Locke foolishly supposed himself to have given it "a black eye." Among innate ideas may be mentioned the belief in one's ability to conduct a newspaper, in the greatness of one's country, in the superiority of one's civilization, in the importance of one's personal affairs and in the interesting nature of one's diseases." – Ambrose Bierce

* * *

"Hello Jack," Amélie said as he came through the door.

"Hello again Amélie, how are you today?"

"I'm good, thank you."

Weiss closed the door, "Hey!" he said as he spotted Sydney.

"Hi Eric, hi dad."

"Hello sweetheart," Jack said, hugging his daughter.

"Come on in," she said, taking their coats and hanging them in the closet.

"So, where's the patient? Bedroom?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, but hang on before you go in there," Sydney said.

Francie poked her head out, "Did he decide? So I know?"

"Yeah, just a second. Eric, have you met Vaughn's mom?"

Weiss smiled at Amélie, "I believe we've been introduced and we've seen each other a few times."

"Yes, I remember you Eric," Amélie said with a smile.

Sydney turned to Francie, "Ok, this is the plan," she started as everyone listened, "Vaughn isn't really feeling all that great at the moment, he's really tired…and he's not really hungry. So, I'm going to eat in there with him, and he said it's impractical for everyone to eat in there, so when you're ready for dessert, then everyone can move in there."

"Well…but…" Weiss started.

Jack picked up where Weiss left off, "Well that's silly – we should all eat together, it is after all his welcome home dinner, is it not?"

Sydney smiled, "Yes, but he doesn't feel well…and I think he'd rather just let you guys have a good time."

Weiss pushed past her and went straight for bedroom.

"Eric…" Sydney said as he passed her.

Weiss pushed the door open and Vaughn looked over at him, "What's up with you?" Weiss said.

Vaughn looked at him strangely, "Whatdya mean?"

"What's this no eating with us shit? It's your party man."

"I know Eric, but I really don't feel like having a party at the moment…ya know?"

Weiss stared him down, "Well, look – I'm not eating out there if at least you or Syd is out there." He smiled, "You have any idea how weird that would be?"

Vaughn chuckled and was about to answer when Jack appeared in the doorway.

Jack smiled slightly as he came into the room and stood at the foot of the bed, "Vaughn," he said in greeting.

"Jack," Vaughn replied.

"Let's talk about this eating situation." He paced back and forth at the foot of the bed as he spoke, "Now, I understand that you aren't in the best of health at the moment, that you're tired and would much rather be alone with my daughter. However, we are all here tonight to welcome you home, to let you know how much we care about you…and it's rather rude not to eat with us. There is no practical reason for you two to eat in here, we'll all eat in here."

Vaughn started, "Well there aren't enough chairs to–"

Jack interrupted, "There's more than enough room – I'm sure a few of us wouldn't mind sitting on the floor, and we can bring in chairs from the kitchen for those who don't want to sit on the floor." He looked around the room; "There are already two in here, so it's decided then. We will all eat in here, together," Jack smiled.

Vaughn was about to protest, but Jack cut him off again, "Michael."

Vaughn looked up at him, startled that he'd used his first name.

"It's not negotiable," Jack said with the same 'don't mess with me' smile.

Vaughn sighed and nodded in defeat. Jack turned on his heel and walked out again. Weiss stood there for a moment before he looked at Vaughn, "Well…that was…one sided."

"Shut up Eric," Vaughn said tiredly as he slumped into the pillow a little more.

Weiss nodded, "Ok, I'll leave you alone until dinner."

Vaughn said nothing as Weiss walked out.

Jack looked at Francie, "We'll all be eating in there. There are two chairs in the room already, so we'll just have to move a few more if–"

"I'll sit on the floor," Will said.

Francie agreed, "Yeah me too."

"I can sit on the floor too," Weiss agreed coming out of the hallway.

Jack smiled, "Well then, that leaves two chairs – one for myself and one for Amélie."

Sydney looked at her father, "How did you get Vaughn to agree to this?"

Jack smiled at her, "I'm very persuasive."

Sydney smiled but walked past him back to the bedroom.

Vaughn was lying down more in the bed than when she had left him earlier. He was staring off out the double patio doors in her room, looking slightly pissed and slightly defeated all the same.

"Hey," Sydney said as she sat on the bed.

He smiled weakly, "Hi," he said with a sigh.

"So my dad pretty much forced this right?"

Vaughn nodded.

"I'm sorry Vaughn. I shouldn't have invited them tonight."

"It's ok. They mean well. I'm just not really in a party mood at the moment."

"I know baby. I'll make it up to you later, ok?" Sydney said with a smile as she ran her hand down the side of his face.

He nodded, "Yeah, ok."

She tilted his face so he was looking at her, "I'll apologize later…" she let her words sink in.

A smile began to grow on Vaughn's face, "Ok…"

Sydney smiled with him before leaning over to kiss him gently. When she backed away, she looked at him, "Why don't you and I just chill in here until it's ready…"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Ok…they can manage on their own for awhile," Sydney said as she took her place next to him on the bed.

As Sydney moved herself closer to him, he leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. Sydney grabbed his hand and enclosed it in her smaller one. She looked at him sideways, "You ok?"

"Yeah, just tired…"

"K, this comfortable?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"K." Sydney waited a minute before she turned her head once again and looked at him, "You wanna talk or should we just sit?"

Vaughn smiled and turned his head to look at her, "Can we just sit? I think I'll get enough talking when they all get in here."

"Sure honey," she said, nuzzling his head with her cheek.

Francie put the finishing touches on dinner as Will helped her load the plates and start to distribute them. Once everyone had their plate and drink, they all moved off to the bedroom.

"Hey," Will said as they entered, smiling at the couple and handing Sydney her plate. He looked at Vaughn and offered a sympathetic smile. "If you want a plate, I can grab one – you sure you're not hungry?"

Vaughn smiled, "I'm sure."

"You want something to drink?" he asked as Amélie filed in the room ahead of everyone else. She sat her plate and glass on the floor and moved the chair closer to the bed on Vaughn's side.

Vaughn smiled, "Ok."

"I'll bring ya something," Will said with a wink.

Weiss filed in after, followed by Jack, and lastly Francie who gave Will a quick kiss on his way out of the room. Francie sat on Sydney's side of the bed on the floor, next to where Will had left his plate. Weiss took the spot on the floor next to Amélie, and Jack took the chair on Sydney's side of the bed.

Everyone was mostly silent until Sydney said, "This looks wonderful Francie."

Everyone erupted in a chorus of "Yeah," "Does look great," "As usual," as Francie beamed at her accomplishment.

Will came back in smiling, having heard the compliments from the kitchen, "Thanks everyone…I did all the work…" he said as he handed Vaughn a glass and held out his other hand, which was closed in a fist.

Vaughn picked his head up from Sydney's shoulder and accepted the glass and looked at him strangely. Sydney grabbed the glass and Vaughn put his hand out. Will deposited his pills in the outstretched hand.

Vaughn looked at his hand and then at Will, "Thanks," he said.

Will smiled back at him, "Not a problem," he said and sat down with Francie.

After he took the pills, Vaughn put his head back on Sydney's shoulder. Amélie looked over at her son concernedly but she didn't say anything.

Sydney looked at him as well, "You want a bite?" she asked quietly, so no one else would hear her.

Vaughn smiled, "I'll have one."

Sydney smiled at him and moved the fork over to his mouth.

"It's really good," he said.

Sydney nodded, "Let me know if you want some more."

Vaughn nodded and closed his eyes, resting while everyone ate.


	17. Chapter 212: The Reminiscence Club

**Chapter 212: The Reminiscence Club **

"Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door." – Saul Bellow

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again." – Elizabeth Lawrence

"Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sights, before the dark hour of reason grows." – John Betjeman

* * *

Sydney was glad that it seemed everyone understood Vaughn's fatigue, and they mostly talked around topics he'd have to comment on through dinner, just letting him rest on Sydney's shoulder.

Amélie kept stealing worried glances at her son, but Sydney offered her a reassuring smile to let her know that Vaughn was ok.

When everyone was done with dinner, Francie and Will took the plates out and brought dessert in.

Sydney woke Vaughn from his rest, "Hey…"

He opened his eyes tiredly, obviously very close to sleep and looked at her.

"You want dessert?"

He shook his head 'no' and then planted himself securely back on Sydney's shoulder.

She smiled and ran her hand over his cheek, kissing the top of his head from her point next to him.

Once everyone was settled again eating their dessert, Will looked back at Sydney and the half-awake Vaughn and said, "So…Mike…" he waited until Vaughn looked over at him sleepily. Will smiled, "You wanna tell us what possessed you to jump from your bedroom window onto a trampoline?"

Vaughn snorted from his position on Sydney's shoulder, "Well…my team needed me, I was desperate, and I thought I could make it." He paused, "Actually, I did make it, but I just then bounced off – that was my problem. If I would have bounced more on the trampoline it would not have resulted in my broken arm or my killing of innocent petunias."

Everyone laughed.

Sydney giggled next to him, the bouncing of her shoulders making him sit up on the bed more.

He looked over at Jack, "I think it's time we had a little Sydney story…since everyone seems to hear about mine."

"That'd be a GREAT idea," Will agreed.

Amélie offered, "Turn about is fair play."

Sydney shook her head, "Ugh…great," she said as she looked down at the bed. She turned and glared at a smiling Vaughn who simply offered her a pair of raised eyebrows and an 'oh well' look.

Jack smiled, "Hmm…well…there was one incident I remember quite fondly."

Sydney shook her had again, "Oh no."

Jack's smile widened, "I suppose I knew from early on that Sydney could take care of herself. She was always very independent…always very feisty."

Sydney chuckled, "This is so wrong."

Vaughn smiled, "Well…welcome to the reminiscence club."

"Sydney was about five. She'd just started kindergarten. She looked exactly like she does now, only smaller," Jack said wistfully. "Imagine a young Sydney standing with her little hands on her hips, a serious look of determination…that was my daughter at five."

Vaughn smiled, "Aww…"

"Shut up!" Sydney said smiling at him.

"She was on the playground one day after school. I had just pulled up to pick her up, and there was a large circle of children in the middle of the playground. As I walked closer, I realized it was my daughter in the middle of the circle with another boy – a boy that was obviously about twice her age."

**Flashback****  
**"You better give me back that ball!" Sydney said, standing up to the larger boy.

"NO way!" The boy replied.

"I said give it back!" Sydney yelled, moving closer to him.

The boy did not back down, "Why should I?"

"Give it back or else!"

"Or else what?"

"You'll be sorry," Sydney warned.

"What's a little pipsqueak like YOU gonna do about it?" The boy responded, pointing his finger at her.

Sydney's little hands balled into fists at her sides, her eyes narrowed, her face scrunched into a look of pure determination. She reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before she marched straight over to the boy.

"I'm gonna do this!" Sydney shouted, kicking the boy several times in each of his shins.

The boy instantly crumpled on the blacktop, screaming in pain. The ball flew from his hands and Sydney picked it up before she marched back over to him.

When he saw her standing over him, he reeled backward, "Don't kick me again!"

Sydney looked down in triumph, "Don't steal my ball again and I won't have to!"

"O-o-ok…I'm sorrrrry…"

Sydney looked up to see her father standing over by the fence, smiling at her proudly.

She walked over and grabbed his hand, "Hi daddy."

"Hello sweetheart…how was your day?"

"It was good daddy – until that bully stealed my ball."

Jack smiled, "Yes, but I see you handled it quite well."

"Thanks daddy…I kicked him in the shins real good."

"Yes sweetheart, I saw that. You should try in the future however, to solve it non-violently, ok?"

"Ok daddy."

"Ok, let's go home sweetheart."  
**End Flashback**

"That's my daughter…started early."

Sydney shook her head, "I can't believe you told that story…"

Will smiled, "Aww Syd…you coulda kicked my ass as a kid too!"

Vaughn beamed, "That's my girl!"

Sydney smiled, "Well – he stole my ball!"

Vaughn grinned over at her, "See – now wasn't that FUN having part of your childhood told to everyone?"

Sydney looked at him, "It was great…"

Vaughn chuckled, "Don't worry, I'll ask Jack all the time now."

Sydney's looked whipped over to her father, "Dad – seriously – NO MORE!"

Jack smirked.

Vaughn added, "Hey you get all sorts of mine – it's only fair." Vaughn paused, "Are you gonna tell us another one?"

Jack smiled as Sydney started shaking her head, "No…dad…no."

Jack eyed her carefully; "Should I tell them about the time you broke the lamp?"

Vaughn chuckled, "HA! Bad Sydney returns!"

Sydney elbowed him gently, "You're gonna get it later…"

Vaughn smiled, "I'll enjoy it now then."

Jack started, "Let's see…Sydney was about four I'd say. I was in the study, doing work, and Sydney was playing in the living room. Now, when you're a parent, it's normal to hear your children making noise. When they stop making noise, when the house becomes silent, you know that they've either gotten into something or they're about to." Jack smiled, "So, I was busily working along, hearing Sydney talking to a room full of her dolls – they were in school you see – and she was lecturing them about some random and completely inaccurate piece of American history. I was smiling as I listened, and I had a keen knack for working while still hearing her. All of sudden, the lecture stopped, and I heard some other noises – certainly not 'school-related' noises, but noises of ruckus, noises of a little girl running around frantically trying to cover something up."

Jack paused as he looked with amusement at his now-grown daughter.

Sydney was attempting to burrow herself away from everyone as fast as possible, hiding in the bed with Vaughn.

Jack continued, "I stopped my work and very carefully snuck out into the living room. Sydney was back in the room, and her conversation about non-history had resumed. Everything seemed in order…until I looked over to the living room table. The lamp that usually occupied that space had mysteriously disappeared. Now, I love what must go through a child's mind when an incident like this happens, as if I wouldn't notice the lamp was missing. At any rate," Jack continued, "I was on the verge of laughter, having full knowledge of what had most likely occurred, and I could barely contain my smirk. I looked over at Sydney…"

**Flashback****  
**"Sydney…sweetheart…are you having fun?" Jack asked his daughter.

"Yes daddy, I playin school."

"That's lovely dear." Jack smiled and squatted down next to his daughter, whose dark chestnut hair so resembled her mother's, "And what are you teaching your dolls today?"

"I was a teachin about hispory."

"History…" Jack said with a chuckle and a nod, "Very good." He looked down at her, "Can I ask where the lamp might be?"

Sydney's innocent face suddenly turned white, "Uh…what lamp daddy?"

Jack smiled and pointed, "That lamp Sydney. The lamp that is now missing. What happened to it?"

Sydney's little mind quickly tried to come up with a believable story, "Well daddy…see…dis lady…she had lellow hair daddy and she came in and she was a meanest lady I'd ever sawed. She wasn't a nice to me and she talkeded real funny. She didn't talk good at all like she was a from some other place or somefin. And she stoled the lamp daddy. That's what happen. She stoled the lamp and ran out the door wif it," Sydney said with a nod finishing her story.

Jack tried to hold in his laughter, "A lady that talked funny stole our living room lamp?" he asked.

"Yeah daddy…she was a really mean," Sydney said with a completely straight face.

Jack nodded, "And you're sure that you're telling me the truth Sydney?"

Sydney nodded, "I'm a tellin the truf daddy."

Jack eyed his daughter, "Sydney, you're sure that the lamp didn't get broken by accident?"

Sydney's resolve began to waiver, "This lady…she broked it."

"So now the lady broke the lamp? I thought she stole it."

Sydney looked at her father for a minute and then burst into tears, "I did it daddy! I did! I broked the lamp! I'm sorry…it was a accident. I didn't mean to broked the lamp." Tears poured out of her eyes.

Jack picked up his daughter, "It's ok Sydney…shh…if it was an accident, then I won't be mad. You just have to tell me the truth Sydney. If you tell me the truth we can get through anything. Now, what happened to the pieces of the lamp?"

Sydney's tears dissipated slightly, "I frowed them in the gargage."

"In the garbage?" Jack asked with a smile.

"Yeah, that's what I said, the gargage."

Jack nodded, "Were the pieces sharp? Did you get hurt?"

"No daddy, I was a really careful."

"Ok…next time Sydney, if you break something by accident, just tell me and I'll help you clean it up so you don't get hurt. Ok?"

"Yeah daddy, ok…I'm sorry."

"It's ok Sydney, just as long as you're not hurt. I love you sweetheart."

"Luf you too daddy," she said hugging him fiercely.  
**End Flashback****  
**


	18. Chapter 213: “I Never…”

**Chapter 213: "I Never…"**

"Parents learn a lot from their children about coping with life." – Muriel Spark

"Sex is one of the 9 reasons for reincarnation, the other 8 are unimportant." – Henry Miller

"I think sex is better than logic, but I can't prove it." – Anonymous

* * *

Jack finished, smiling at his daughter. Then his smile turned sad, "I did a good job with that one, but my skills seemed to leave me a few years later," he admitted.

Sydney looked at him, "You're doing a great job now dad. Just as long as you don't keep telling stories about me."

Vaughn smiled, "Aww I like those stories, you little liar," he said with a huge grin.

Will added, "You were a naughty little girl!"

"Shut up Will! Or I'm gonna call your mother and have her come over next."

"Oh god," Will said obviously scared.

Francie smiled, "Come on Syd, you were adorable!"

"I was not," Sydney said with a wave of her hand.

"You were too!" Vaughn said.

"Ok…new topic – no more stories!" Sydney said, throwing her dad a warning glance.

He simply smiled satisfactorily.

Will looked around the room, "Now what are we gonna do?"

Francie leaned over, "You can help me pick up the dishes!"

"Aww…ok," Will said, gathering plates and glasses and helping Francie take them back to the kitchen.

When Will and Francie returned, Will piped up, "Let's play a game!"

Vaughn groaned, "I don't think I can handle games tonight Will."

"Not a board game," Will said shaking his head, "a talking game…" Will smiled evilly, "Like 'Truth or Dare' or 'I Never.'"

"Oh my God Will. NO. NO!" Francie said.

Will turned to her, "Why not?"

Weiss fielded the question, "I think everyone might be a little apprehensive to admit things in front of…no offense," he said looking at Jack and Amélie, "parents."

Jack looked at Weiss, "We are adults Eric."

"Yes, I agree," Amélie said.

Will smiled triumphantly, "Good! It's settled – should we play 'Truth or Dare' or 'I Never?""

"Not 'Truth or Dare,'" Sydney said.

"Ok then, 'I Never' it is."

"And how do you play 'I Never,'" Amélie asked.

Will smiled, "It's really easy. Everyone puts up their fingers, and then we go around the room, using the phrase, 'I Never' and then you say something you've never done. And then you put down your finger if you've done the things that are suggested. If all your fingers are down – you're out of the game. So the person with a finger left at the end wins."

"Ok," Amélie said with a smile.

Sydney turned to Vaughn, "You can exercise your fingers…"

Vaughn looked at her, "Yeah…this is gonna be scary."

Sydney smiled, "I know," she said with a sigh.

"Ok, who's starting?" Weiss asked.

Sydney looked at Will, "You start Will – it was your suggestion."

"Ok," Will said with a smile. He thought a moment, "I've never jumped out of an airplane."

Sydney, Jack, Vaughn and Weiss all put a finger down.

Will looked at Sydney, "You go next."

Sydney smiled, "I've never owned a dog," she said.

Will, Amélie, Vaughn and Weiss put down a finger.

"Dad, you go next," Sydney said, snuggling closer to Vaughn.

Jack thought a moment, "I have never seen Titanic."

A general gasp echoed through the room. Francie looked at him with amazement, "You've never seen it? I don't think I've ever met another person who hasn't…that's like…inconceivable!"

Jack chuckled, "Well, you can imagine I don't see many movies."

Will piped up and looked at Francie, "He kinda looks like that one guy in there too – the one who built the ship."

"Yeah, he does," Weiss agreed.

Everyone's fingers but Jack's went down. "Weiss, I think you should go next."

Weiss grinned evilly and looked directly at Vaughn, "I've never had sex in the CIA offices…"

Vaughn groaned, "Oh come on man! Weiss – I can't believe you just said that." He looked nervously at his mother who simply smiled.

Slowly, he put his finger down and Sydney did the same.

Jack also put his finger down; Sydney's eyes went wide, "DAD?!"

However, Vaughn was in a similar state of shock when his mother also put a finger down, "MOM?!"

Jack chuckled, "I was young once…"

Amélie grinned, "Michael – where do you think you came from?"

"Oh my God!" Vaughn yelled, "I SO did NOT need to hear that!"

Amélie smiled, "Well I brought your father lunch…"

"STOP!" Vaughn yelled, "PLEASE!"

Sydney looked at her father, "Don't you start telling any stories either. That could be so damaging to my psyche."

Jack giggled as he watched his daughter squirm. He shared a warm look with Amélie, "It's funny how children can never seem to grasp that they had to come into this world in the same manner as everyone else and that would entail a sexual encounter of some–"

"DAD STOP!" Sydney said covering her ears.

"Ok, ok," Jack said, "Weiss – pick the next person."

Weiss looked at the occupants left, "Francie."

"I've never been on a spy mission," she said with a smile, "I'm SO gonna win this game."

Sydney, Vaughn, Jack and Weiss all put fingers down.

Francie smiled, "Michael, you go."

Vaughn smiled and looked over at Eric, "I've never, in my adult life, dated a minor."

Weiss' head dropped, "I swear she looked 18!"

Vaughn laughed, but stopped when he saw Francie wince and put a finger down.


	19. Chapter 214: You Did WHAT?

**Chapter 214: You Did WHAT?**

"There are no secrets better kept than the secrets that everybody guesses." – George Bernard Shaw

"The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter." – Mark Twain

"I'm a scientist; nothing shocks me." – Indiana Jones

* * *

Will's head whipped over to her, "WHAT?"

Francie winced again, "I was 22. I was catering…this waiter – GOD was he hot. His name was Luke," Francie sighed, looking off dreamily.

"Fran?!" Will said.

She turned to him, "Right…uh, I was catering he was a waiter – he was 17. He didn't look 17, and I didn't know it until later, AFTER our first two dates. Then I found out when I wanted to go to a bar and he said he couldn't. I mean – he was hot, but I couldn't date a minor," she said with a sad shake of her head.

Sydney laughed, "Will – you sure your finger shouldn't go down? What about Jenny?"

Will blushed, "She was NOT a minor!"

Vaughn chuckled, "Francie's story is a MUCH better one than Eric's – which he is NOT going to tell. Mom, you're turn."

Amélie thought a moment, "I've never skied," she said.

Everyone but Weiss put a finger down.

It was back to Will, "Hmm…I've never had sex in snow," Will blurted out half as a thought. Everyone was silent for a minute, "I said that out loud, huh?"

Francie smiled, "Yeah honey, you did…"

Will nodded, "Well then…"

Jack put his finger down.

"DAD?!?!" Sydney yelled, "Ok – DON'T TELL ME! I'm next! I'm going now!" She paused a minute, "I've never had sex in a walk-in freezer," she said looking directly at Will and Francie and sharing a grin with Vaughn.

Will and Francie blushed and put their finger down, and so did Amélie.

Vaughn grinned at his mother, "Please, don't elaborate."

Amélie nodded and smiled smugly at her son.

Sydney grinned over at her as well, "Dad, your turn."

Jack smiled, "I've never had sex in an airplane."

Sydney and Vaughn and Weiss put their fingers down.

Vaughn looked over at Weiss, "Man, I don't even wanna know."

Weiss smiled, "It was awesome – I was with this–"

"Weiss – shut up man," Vaughn said with a smile.

"It's my turn though…" he said with an evil smile, "I've never used a holster creatively," he said looking at Vaughn, "if you know what I mean."

Vaughn grinned, "I'm rather proud of those…" he said as he put his finger down and Sydney did the same.

Amélie put her finger down as well, "Must be a family trait," she said, nodding to Jack, whose finger also went down.

Sydney looked between their two respective parents, "This is just getting disturbing."

Amélie chuckled and looked at Jack, "Really, why is it that children can never deal with the fact that their parents have had sex?"

Jack smiled "They're trying to believe they came from a different form of reproduction."

Francie smiled, "My turn," she said. "I've never owned a Barbie doll," she said looking at Sydney.

"Hey," Sydney said, "I was balanced, I liked boy stuff too – I only had like five Barbie's."

Sydney and Amélie put their fingers down, but so did Weiss.

He smiled, "I was well rounded too, or rather, I liked the well roundedness of the dolls."

Vaughn shook his head, "Weiss, you need help man."

Weiss smiled, "I was mature at a young age."

"You have yet to mature," Vaughn said, "I've never had sex in a park…" he looked at Sydney and whispered, "yet…"

She giggled and watched as her father, Amélie, and Will all put fingers down.

She looked at Vaughn, "This is just…this was not a good idea…and Will! Who did you have sex in a park with!?!?!?"

Will smiled, "Uh…I…never mind," he said looking down, turning four different shades of red.

Francie poked him, "Never mind? I don't think that's a good answer!"

"I'll tell you later," he mumbled.

Amélie smiled and thought a moment, "I've never been to a sex club…"

Sydney and Vaughn and Weiss and Jack put their fingers down.

Amélie's eyes went wide, "MICHAEL!"

Vaughn scrambled, "Mom – it was for an ASSIGNMENT!"

Amélie shook her head, "I don't want to know…"

Vaughn smiled, "SEE!! It's the same way when you start talking about sex," he said with a shudder.

Weiss piped up, "Just for the record, mine wasn't an assignment," he said with a proud nod.

Will wasted no time with his question, "I've never had sex in a lawn chair."

Sydney and Vaughn smiled and put their last finger down, "K – we win for being the most creative," Sydney said snuggling into Vaughn.

Jack smiled, "I'm not so sure that's a good thing sweetheart." He thought a moment, "I've never been obsessed with a television show."

Everyone left put a finger down.

Weiss smiled fondly, "Ah…Baywatch…that was the best show…"

Will smiled, "I liked Buffy," he said, "It was a cool show on so many different levels…it had witty dialogue, good action, awesome fights…it was just good, until they screwed with it those last seasons…but I was sad to see it go," he said nodding.

The room was silent, "What?" he said.

Francie smiled and pulled him over, "That's why I love you honey."

"Well it was a good show!"

"My addition was General Hospital," Amélie said with a smile, "I was quite addicted when Michael was a boy."

Vaughn nodded, "I recall…it was 'GH TIME.' I had to be quiet."

Weiss smiled, "Well, I'm out…"

Francie said, "Well then it's my turn…I've never been to a strip club."

Will and Jack both put a finger down.

Sydney muttered to Vaughn, "I'm glad we're out so I didn't have to explain that one."

Vaughn's eyebrows rose, "I wish I would have been your immediate…backup on that mission…"

Sydney smiled and kissed him, "Me too…we could have had a lot of fun with that."

Vaughn nodded his head, "Maybe another time…"

Sydney grinned, "You get your own private strip show every time we have sex honey…"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah…that's true."

By the time they both were concentrating on the game, Jack had gone out and Will and Amélie and Francie were the only ones left.

It was Will's turn again, "I've never worn lipstick," he said with a smile, "I got both of you on that one," he said triumphantly.

Francie smiled, "I've never worn a cup for sports," Francie said with an equally triumphant smile.

Will's lessened, "Meanie."

"Turn about's fair play my dear," she said with a sweet smile.

Amélie smiled, "I've never been to Tijuana."

"Damn, she got us there," Will said, "I'm out."

Francie smiled, "Just one more question…and I win…" She thought for a while, "I've never been to France!"

Amélie smiled, "Well then…" she chuckled, "You've won that round."

Francie smiled, "HA! I win!"

Sydney grinned at her, "Are you sure you should be proud that you've done the least things?"

Francie glared at her, but they both knew it was in fun, "Well…I'm not as EXPERIENCED apparently as you are."

Sydney scrunched her face, "Yeah…wisdom only comes with experience…I'm glad I'm experienced," she said looking over at Vaughn.

Francie laughed, "Fine…got me on that one."

Sydney looked at the clock and looked over at Vaughn again. Then she turned back to everyone else in the room, "Ok guys, I'm kicking you out," she said with a smile.


	20. Chapter 215: Reading Delights

Ok, I got a little…inventive with this, I had this idea…so…the story that starts in this chapter: _"Yard Work," by Declan of Ulm_, is NOT my story. I came across it while…uhm…researching…hehe and I thought it worked great with my gutter-mind idea. SO I did not write "_Yard Work_," only the interspersed dialogue between Vaughn and Sydney is mine. In a following chapter, there will be another story, which is actually a compilation of two stories which I found and added my own little quirks to. To Declan of Ulm and the other two authors of the stories that I reworked, I meant no infringement or disrespect in my smutty endeavors. In fact, I admired the stories so much that I decided to use them in my fictional lil compilation. So, there, if the authors stumble over here and things look familiar – that's why – I borrowed a few things, but I'm not taking credit for them. However, like I said – I did rework and compile the second story…so take that as you may.

**Chapter 215: Reading Delights**

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." – Joseph Addison

"To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry." – Gaston Bachelard

"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention." – Francis Bacon

* * *

Jack chuckled and rose from his chair, "It was a lovely dinner. Thank you Francie." 

"Yes, it was delightful," Amélie agreed, also rising from her chair.

Weiss, Will and Francie all got up off the floor and Sydney got off the bed, hugging Weiss and her father goodbye.

Weiss came over and gave Vaughn a friendly handshake before he turned and left while saying goodnight to everyone. Jack left soon after and Francie and Will said their goodnights and vacated the bedroom, heading off to their own room.

Amélie looked at her son, and gave him a soft smile as he yawned. She approached the bed and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, "Goodnight Michael," she said quietly.

"Night mom."

Sydney smiled and hugged her goodnight as well before she also left the room. Sydney shut and locked the door after her and came back to the bed. "You look tired honey."

"I am," he said with a soft smile.

"I'm really sorry my dad invited everyone in here. I should have known better than to ask everyone to come over tonight. I knew you'd be tired, and you need to rest. I'm sorry baby," she said kissing him lightly.

"It's ok Syd."

Sydney smiled sadly, "I said I'd apologize to you later…you still want me to apologize?" she asked with a sexy smile and a seductive glint in her eye.

Vaughn smiled, "I do…but I think I'd fall asleep in the middle of your apology, and that would be no fun," he said shaking his head.

Sydney chuckled, "Ok sweetie, I'll apologize later. Let's go to bed."

Vaughn yawned, "Good plan."

She took her time getting him settled comfortably in bed and then went about getting herself ready. When she came back into the bedroom, he was already sleeping soundly. She smiled and crawled into bed, turning off the lights, save one, and snuggled in with him.

Sydney woke a few hours later, wide awake. She lay for a while; just trying to empty her mind. When that didn't work, she tried counting sheep, or rather counting Vaughn's, a much preferable and amusing sight to jump over a fence. When that didn't work, she eased herself out of his grasp and sat up in bed, just watching him in peaceful slumber. While that was comforting and relaxing, it didn't make her the least bit tired. She looked at the clock, 2:00am. 'Hmm,' she thought to herself, 'What to do…' Her mind wandered with various activities, none of which seemed appealing at two in the morning. Finally, she decided to read. She carefully got out of bed and padded over to the dresser. She opened a drawer and smiled at the book that lay there. She had to stifle a giggle when she thought of the day when Francie gave it to her. It was during what Francie had termed "a non-boyfriend" stage, and she presented the book with the explicit instructions that it would get her through the lonely nights. Sydney had laughed at the time and thinking back, she hadn't had a lot of use for the book, since most of her thoughts, even pre-relationship Vaughn were about him, and she was never at a loss for naughty images when he came to mind.

She took the book out and walked back to the bed, her feet making alternate sounds on the hardwood floor and carpet. She slowly peeled the covers back to get in and delicately placed herself once again at Vaughn's side. She sat against the headboard and looked at the scantily clad people on the front cover of the book. The title, _Harder, Faster, Deeper: A Collection of Erotic Stories_ peered back at her.

She turned to the first story and started to read:

The grass was slippery and wet as she ran across the back lawn. The sun had set over an hour ago, and the moon glistened off the ground. The light afternoon rain left the entire world bathed in the scent of lush vegetation. The grass, just cut that morning, stuck to her feet as she walked up the wooden ramp to the door of the old barn. She reached up to the worn wooden handle, and pulled. Nothing. She pulled again. Still nothing. She considered running back to the house, but suddenly remembered the old lock was still fastened at the top of the door and that key was on her father's key ring. And his key ring was probably in his pants pocket on the floor of his room. She couldn't go get it. Her mother was a light sleeper and would wake at the slightest creak in the hall.

The hoot of an owl startled her. A mix of fear and exhilaration flooded her body; she shuddered with anticipation. The night sky was clear as glass, as the light breeze blowing in from the east shifted suddenly to the north. The faint smell of a farmer, far away, burning the stubble of his field drifted into her nostrils. The wind shifted back, and the sweet smell of grass, and the thick musk of falling leaves returned. If she wasn't standing on the step to her barn, she might have closed her eyes and imagined herself by the dim light of a smoldering campfire.

The door! She had been caught up in the moment. She knew that she had to get inside the dusty old barn, or all her last week's planning would go to waste. She walked slowly around the perimeter of the rustic structure. The shutters in the loft had been nailed shut after the last big storm had torn one from its hinges. The hay shoot would be the only way inside.

Carefully she climbed the old wooden frame of the fence beside the barn; a remnant of times when animals were still kept on the old farmstead. She crawled across the ledge, and lifted herself up to the opening of the shoot. She lifted one arm inside and found the lip of the inside. She lifted her other arm, held on tight, and lifted herself off the fence, just inside. She finally got her elbows up onto the ledge, and heaved her body upwards. After several long moments of struggle, she finally managed to get inside. He arms scraped and sore, she collapsed on the floor of the loft.

The floor smelled of hay, and the dust lay thick on everything. The owl hooted once again, and with its call, stirred her from her short rest. She knew she couldn't stop and rest now, she had a long night ahead of her, and she intended to be fully awake. She stood carefully, and moved slowly along the loft to the ladder. The floor creaked as she moved. Rung by rung she descended the old wooden ladder, being extra careful so as not to hurt her bare feet on the cracking wood. The newer wooden planks, having been recently replaced after the flood, felt sound and solid beneath her feet. The moonlight filtered in through the slats of the nailed shutters, illuminating thousands of tiny dust particles dancing to and fro through the air.

She stepped quickly and carefully through the clutter of yard equipment and other storage that was scattered about the barn. Upon reaching the door, she only had time to unfasten the bolt when she heard his footsteps on the drive. She hurried to her place, seated atop the riding mower. She fidgeted with her nightgown and tried to ignore the slight stinging of her scratched arms.

The footsteps got closer at a steady walking pace. Time seemed to stand still for her as they paused, just before the ramp. She waited for the sound of his feet on the weather worn wooden ramp. She yearned for him to burst through the door, cross the room, and take her, right there on the torn leather seat of the John Deere riding mower. For him to carry her up to the loft, lie her down in the hay, and make love to her for hours. But the sound never came.

She sat and waited. For what seemed like eternity, she waited; her heart pounding in her throat. She wanted to shout out to him, but was afraid to open her mouth. Finally, she sat up, crossed the floor, and reached for the door. It swung open gently at her touch, with a soft, but distinct creak. And there on the ground, was a pair of shoes. She stepped out into the soft breeze, and looked around, letting the door close behind her. She would hear it if it opened again. He was nowhere to be seen. She heard a noise; a soft scratching on one side of the barn. She stepped slowly and cautiously onto the wet grass, and crept along the side of the barn. Then she quickly looked around the corner. The wind shifted once more. The faint smell of a still burning field swept through the air. She continued around the entire barn, pausing at each corner to look back and see if he might be sneaking up behind.

"Syd? What are you reading?"

Sydney jumped on the bed, the book falling out of her hands and landing in Vaughn's lap as she said, "Vaughn! Jesus! You scared the shit out of me. How long have you been awake?" she asked shakily, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

Vaughn picked up the book and turned it over to see the cover as he started to talk. "I woke up and saw you reading…watched you for a minute…_Harder, Faster, Deeper: A Collection of Erotic Stories_?" Vaughn asked, looking up at her with a grin, "Syd…what ARE you reading?" He paused, cocking his head to look at the figures on the front cover, "And why didn't you wake me up?" he asked, looking at her again.

Sydney smiled, "Well…you were sleeping…I couldn't sleep…so I decided to do some research…"

Vaughn chuckled, "So that's where you get your ideas from?"

Sydney laughed, "No…not really – Francie gave it to me a long time ago…but I thought – since I have it – might have a few…ideas…"

Vaughn arched an eyebrow at her, "Mmmhmm…You gonna share?" he asked.

She smiled, "Well…you mean – like read it to you?"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah…"

Sydney thought a moment, "Ok…" she grinned, "You want me to start over?"

"No, just start from where you were…"

"Ok," Sydney said, as Vaughn snuggled closer and she started to read…


	21. Chapter 216: Audible Eroticism

**Chapter 216: Audible Eroticism**

"All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality -- the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape." – Arthur Christopher Benson

"The best effect of any book is that it excites the reader to self activity." – Thomas Carlyle

"The pressure of the hands causes the springs of life to flow." – Tokujiro Namikoshi

* * *

_Previously on Alias:  
Vaughn arched an eyebrow at her, "Mmmhmm…You gonna share?" he asked.  
She smiled, "Well…you mean – like read it to you?"  
Vaughn smiled, "Yeah…"  
Sydney thought a moment, "Ok…" she grinned, "You want me to start over?"  
"No, just start from where you were…"  
"Ok," Sydney said, as Vaughn snuggled closer and she started to read…_

Sydney's reading stopped momentarily, the last words of the paragraph coming out a gasp as she felt Vaughn's fingers start to dance along her thigh, inching from the farthest point he could reach upwards towards her center, moving the pair of his boxers she had on upward with him. Just as she thought he'd delve further inside the boxers, he stopped and started his path all over again.

She looked down at him, her face starting to flush as the words and his hand started to make her wetter.

"Keep reading," he said as though nothing was happening.

She gave him an evil glare and started again…

Sydney took another shaky breath and stopped, looking over at Vaughn, whose hand had moved along the waistband of the boxers, slowly working its way to her curls, but never going lower where she needed him to most. He smiled evilly, completely enjoying this torture was inflicting on her, knowing how wet he was making her.

"Keep reading," he said.

Sydney took a frustrated breath and started again…

_"Please… Please… take me now!" she whispered. He looked up into her eyes, still licking, and lifted her nightgown up to her shoulders. She flung it off, and he let his tongue drag up along her stomach. He paused, and swirled around her navel. Slowly, he kissed further and further upwards, along the breastbone. She felt his tongue drag lightly over to her left breast, while his hand drifted up over the right. His tongue traced slow, delicate circles around her nipple. Moving closer and closer to the tips. She almost screamed in pure ecstasy as he quickly flicked his tongue over the nub. She shuddered as his finger grazed ever so lightly over the other breast. He took her nipple into his mouth, letting his warm breath wash over it. After swirling around it for a moment, he moved his mouth away, and blew light, cold air upon her nipples, wet with his saliva. Shivers ran up and down her body, and she moaned as she let her hands move all over his back. She reached down and pulled his shirt up off his head. He kissed his way up her chest, along her collarbone, and up the side of her neck. She smiled, as he looked her in the eyes. In them she saw more love than she had ever known before, and it made her feel safe, there in his arms._

"Jesus Vaughn…" Sydney whispered, stopping several times and gasping as Vaughn's hand moved away from her center and trailed up to her breasts, awkwardly tweaking them until he found a position that allowed him a more apt range of motion. He took his hand away and brought it to his mouth, her gaze leaving the pages and watching as he licked his fingers and then brought them back to her nipple, rolling and pulling and driving her insane as tiny jolts shot from her nipples to her core.

"Keep reading…" he said in a sing-song-y voice.

Sydney took a deep breath and futilely tried to keep her attention focused on the story…

"I love you," he whispered. She leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth, pulling his body down onto hers. She felt his hard cock press up against her, and she ached to have it inside. She moved her hands all over his back as she kissed him.

Sydney let out a long and drawn out moan as Vaughn's hand moved away from her breasts and his fingers 'walked' down her stomach, getting ever closer to her center once again. Sydney's attention diverted as he finally lowered his fingers into the boxers, pulling at the curls gently and tracing her outer lips, but still avoiding her clit and never delving into her walls.

"Damnit Vaughn!" she said, meaning to be forceful, but it coming out more like a breathy moan.

He smiled at her frustration, "Soon baby…keep going…"

She sighed and pressed on, reading the next lines making her chuckle.

_She knew that she wouldn't last much longer, and neither would he. His back arched, letting his cock grind hard against her g-spot. His fingers ran faster and faster over her clit, and her body began to shake with the immense pleasure she was experiencing._

Sydney was further convinced of Vaughn's evil demeanor when he chose that exact moment to run his finger over her clit. Just once…but that one time brought every built up feeling from the beginning of their reading to the forefront. Her hips arched off the bed, and his fingers pushed into her.

Vaughn reveled in her wetness, soiling the boxers and he was sure the sheets beneath them. She was so wet, his fingers instantly covered with her juices. He started a slow but satisfying rhythm, Sydney rocking against his fingers as the heel of his hand pressed and rubbed against her clit in all the right ways.

"Finish," he said, making her so frustrated when he slowed again to a leisurely pace.

He moved over slightly, and lay there beside her, wrapping his arms around her still quivering body. He had been dreaming of this day since she had told him to come last week. It had been all he thought about. Now, as he lay there utterly spent next to her, he hardly noticed the scrapes he had suffered climbing in through the old hay shoot. He knew it had been well worth it to surprise her. He kissed her softly on the neck, as they lay there, absorbed in one another.

Vaughn smiled, "Great story," he said, accentuating and surprising her by plunging his fingers inside as deep as he could get them from his angle and rubbing the heel of his hand furiously over her clit. Sydney's orgasm tore though her completely unexpectedly, but certainly not unfounded. The book became a grounding point, her fingers coiled tightly around it as her muscles clenched and clamped around his fingers as he brought her slowly down with slower movements.

He kept a satisfied smile on his face as he watched her body go through a long series of tremors and shakes, her face the most beautiful picture of bliss as she came on his fingers, the wetness so intense he could have climaxed himself. There was nothing more beautiful than watching Sydney come…it was just…exquisite. Her chest was heaving as he extricated his fingers from her and slowly brought them to his mouth, licking them clean.

Sydney turned her head and looked at him, "You teasing bastard," she said with a smile.

"You complaining?"

She chuckled, "No…you like my stories?"

"Yeah – that was…HOT," he said with a short laugh, "I love watching you come."

Sydney smiled, "I love watching you come too…which is where we're going next…It's payback time Mr. Vaughn…"


	22. Chapter 217: Erogenous Articulation

**Chapter 217: Erogenous Articulation**

_"I am your soul mate  
the one to fulfill your dreams  
make all your wishes come true  
every sexual fantasy too  
grant all your wildest desires and wishes  
cover your body with sensual kisses  
take you to heaven  
on a cloud of ecstasy, passion and desire  
setting your heart and soul on fire  
I am your dream and fantasy come true  
because I am a part of you  
our hearts are two halves of one  
knowing now we have begun  
Let me explore your gorgeous body  
taking you on a magical journey of pleasure  
giving you memories of passion you'll treasure  
making you feel the way you should  
the way only as your soul mate could  
you're the one I want to forever please  
lick you, suck you, taste you and tease  
feel your body against me  
feel you deep inside me  
making love together  
wanting it to last forever  
every move and every caress  
I want this to be the best  
each time its so beautiful  
to feel and hear you  
hold you very very tight  
with you I know its so right  
nobody else could make me feel the way you do  
you are the one I've been waiting for  
no one else I could ever want more  
I promise you, your fantasies I'll fulfill  
your hopes and dreams and deepest thoughts  
everything in love you've ever sought  
my love for you will always stand true  
loving you this will always be  
a forever kind of ecstasy" – "Forever Kind of Ecstasy" – Bella Angel_

* * *

Vaughn smiled, "Really…hmm…"

"I get to pick the story," she said, paging through to find one. She smiled when she read the title, "_A Night In_." She looked over at him, "This is the one we're going to read," she said, moving the book so he could read the title.

He looked at her and smiled, "Ok."

She grinned, "Just listen…" she said in a low and enticing voice, "Better yet…close your eyes…" she said.

His eyebrow arched again, but he did as she asked. He settled back into the pillow and closed his eyes as her voice started to wash over him…

She heard him coming up the stairs to their bedroom, taking the steps two at a time. She quickly moved into place, the new privacy screen that she had bought placed in the corner of their room near the closet, where a man standing just outside the door could see directly behind it. A full-length mirror had also been placed so it reflected the space in the hall where he would stand. She was suddenly nervous and excited all at the same time, knowing that in a few short moments, a new experience would befall them. Her knees were shaking and her nipples were already rock hard. 'Here he comes,' she thought.

His steps were slow and leisurely, the trek to the bedroom an enticing one. He'd thought about her all day, wanting nothing more than to see her, to touch her, feel her. He looked down the hall to their bedroom, the door was open and soft music emanated from the room. He stuck his head in the room, his eyes searching for her. His movement stopped immediately when he found her. He wouldn't have been surprised if he'd left skid marks on the carpet.

Sydney stifled her giggle as Vaughn let out a moan, "Just keep listening…imagining…" She smiled as she watched his erection start to rise, twitching as he listened to her.

Sydney turned on her side and watched as sensation and suggestion swept over his features. She brought her hand over as she finished the paragraph, slowly running a finger around his nipple and then dragging it over to the other. He groaned and arched slightly as she started to pull on the tiny pebbles, making his erection grow even larger, standing proudly between his legs. She traced her finger to his navel and spent several moments running around in circles around it, before she started making irregular patterns all over his chest and torso. She stopped and lay her hand on his chest, not moving it in the slightest as she started to read again.

She sat in the chair, wiggling to settle herself on the very edge of it, her pussy pointing upwards. The chair faced the mirror she'd bought a week ago, clearly reflecting her. He was treated to a side view and a full frontal view of her. He watched her fingers dig into her pussy, matching her motions with strokes on his cock. She groaned, undulating in her chair, her eyes half lidded and staring directly at the mirror.

Sydney smiled as she saw how turned on Vaughn was getting, his face flushing with excitement and pleasure, his body tense and ready. Sydney slowly inched her way down with her lone finger, running it around the patch of hair above his straining cock and scratching lightly at his thighs.

She took her hand away suddenly, a short gasp echoing from him in shock. She smiled, knowing the level of frustration that he had made her feel was going to be nothing compared to payback.

She chuckled, "Something wrong honey?" she asked sweetly.

"Please…Syd…don't stop…"

"Mmm…I'll just keep reading…maybe you should use your imagination…"

Vaughn groaned and wriggled on the bed, desperate to release the tension that was rising.

Sydney smirked and kept reading.

Pulling the two shining fingers from her pussy, she slid them into her mouth and delicately sucked at her juices. He shuddered and nearly came. He watched her fingers trail across the velvet teddy back into her even more velvety pussy. The fingers of one hand pistoned in and out of her cunt, fucking herself in rhythm with the finger on her clit. Her ass was squirming all over the chair, bucking against her fantasy lover. She was moaning and panting, loud cries echoing through the room.

"Syd…" he said, his breathing elevated, his heart rate climbing rapidly. His hand made a move to touch his cock, but she slapped it away.

"Not yet," she said, loving that he was so stimulated that he wanted to touch himself. She relented slightly though and moved closer to him, whispering in his ear, "That COMES later Vaughn…"

His head pressed back into the pillow as a shudder tore though him from Sydney's suggestion. He moaned and turned his head towards her. She smiled and leaned over, kissing him lightly and then intensifying the kiss, plunging her tongue in his mouth, dueling and caressing all at the same time. His hand moved to her face, cupping her cheek as they tangled in their kiss. She pulled back and nipped at his jaw before dipping down and sucking on his neck. All thoughts left him as Sydney's mouth started to assault him. Then, like before, she suddenly was gone, leaving him so aroused yet so unsatisfied.

He groaned his frustration, cursing himself for teasing her before, knowing she was going to drag this out as long as possible.

Then he groaned when she opened her pussy for him. Everything inside her seemed to tighten up, then explode in one of the strongest orgasms she'd ever had. Her eyes were locked on his cock, all pretense gone with her climax. His fist flew over it, turning the head an angry red. His hips were thrusting reflexively, shoving his cock into his hand as if he were in the midst of fucking her pussy instead.

"Oh God…" Vaughn breathed, the whole scene making him incredibly horny, yet he knew he couldn't do anything about it. Here Sydney was, reading him porn, and not only was he being teased, but the fact that his eyes were closed made him focus all the more on the words, and with words came images, and with images came Sydney…and with Sydney…Jesus…the scene that she was reading was no longer an anonymous couple, but them; Sydney doing these things, he standing in the doorway…God…this was too much.

Sydney beamed in triumph, his cock now resting on his stomach, straining to be touched, his face visibly warm, his body slowly breaking out in a sweat. A small pool of moisture was evident on his stomach, as the pre-cum leaked out from his ever-growing cock. She stopped reading momentarily and couldn't resist, her hand moved irrevocably to that which he needed touched most. Her solitary finger hovered over his cock and then slowly, she started at the base, pressed the finger into the skin gently and then dragged it upward, all along the vein. Her finger stopped just below the head, pressing into the indent beneath it and then traced past, up the mushroom head and over to the slit, putting slight pressure there as well. Then, just to drive him even more insane, she reversed her path, and breathed into his ear, "You like that?"

For Vaughn, the sensation was even more powerful, because he couldn't see, couldn't anticipate Sydney's movements. Her touch was like fire, that one movement, that one simple touch, setting off synapses all over his body. His cock leapt, his balls clenched, muscles tightened, the veins in his neck flexed, his eyes squeezed tighter. He couldn't even answer her verbally, but he was pretty sure the reactions his body was having coupled with more of the pre-cum dribbling out of his rigid and excited cock was enough indication of just how much he was enjoying this.

Sydney smiled once more and then took her hand away, making him growl in frustration and thwarted pleasure.


	23. Chapter 218: Alluring Dialogue

**Chapter 218: Alluring Dialogue **

"Masturbation: the primary sexual activity of mankind. In the nineteenth century it was a disease; in the twentieth, it's a cure." – Thomas Szasz   
"An erection is like the Theory of Relativity - the more you think about it, the harder it gets." – Author Unknown

"Nothing inspires forgiveness quite like revenge." – Scott Adams

"Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tries, and a touch that never hurts." – Charles Dickens

* * *

He had no idea what to say now. Opening his eyes and lifting his head, he met her smiling, replete eyes. He didn't have to say anything after all. Her husky voice washed over him, bringing a stiffening of interest to his dick. "Baby, that was beautiful." 

He smiled sheepishly, "That was…amazing…"

She smiled back at him, "I love to see you do that…will you do it for me again?"

All he could do was nod.

She smiled sexily and sauntered over to the bed, swaying her hips and motioning for him to join her. He followed blindly, entranced, drugged by her passion.

She laid down on the bed, pulling him with her so they were both on their sides. "Do you do that when I'm not around? Do you masturbate and think of me?"

"Um…"

"Don't be embarrassed…"

"Yes."

"Tell me what you think about when you do it."

He looked at her for a minute before he started softly, "I think about your breasts. I like the way they feel in my hand, warm and soft. I like to cup them in my hands. I like the way your nipple hardens when I suck on it. I think about the way you look with your shirt pulled up to your chin. I like the way you catch your breath when I touch your hip at the top of your jeans. I like how flat your tummy is and the way you grab the back of my head when I kiss your tummy. I like the way you respond when I kiss you and the way you let me slip my leg between yours when I push you back on the bed. I like the way you rock your hips against my thigh and the way you moan in my ear when I kiss your neck. I think about the way you suck in your belly when you want me to put my hand in your pants." He was already getting hard again, thinking about her and vocalizing his thoughts proving extremely erotic. As he looked down to her center, he could see it was having a desirable effect on her as well.

Sydney stopped and looked over at Vaughn, his eyes still closed, his body tense, and waiting for her next touch.

She leaned over and whispered, her breath hot on his neck and in his ear, "Honey…I want you to listen to the story…but now…you can help…just don't come…until I tell you…"

Vaughn nodded.

"Do what feels good – and follow some of what goes on…ok?" Sydney asked, her breathy voice making him shudder.

He nodded again; not able to form words.

Sydney stopped, following her own role in the story, her finger delving into her wetness, finding herself wetter than before as she watched Vaughn grab the base of his cock and squeeze. He let out a throaty groan at being able to give his cock some relief, and started to twist his hand at the base and then started to squeeze at alternate speeds. Sydney watched in fascination as the head turned a darker shade of purple and pulled taught on top of his bulging shaft.

She smiled, "Does that feel good baby?" she asked, taking her dialogue from the story.

"Mmm…" Vaughn muttered incoherently.

Sydney started again…

_He groaned and nodded, his gaze dropping to watch her as she swirled her finger around and then brought it up to her mouth. She leaned over and kissed him, allowing him to taste her essence on her lips._

Sydney leaned over and kissed Vaughn, his breath gasping as he felt her mouth on his, and tasted her juices on her lips.

Sydney smiled against his mouth and leaned back, starting yet again.

_He dragged the tips of his fingers up and down the sides of his cock while still firmly gripping the base._

She stopped and watched as he complied, running the tips of his fingers up and down his cock as it bobbed slightly. She was transfixed, letting him comply with the task for longer than the story suggested, just because she found it fascinating the way his cock responded. He stopped the finger movement and lifted his legs up slightly, his knees pointing outward as he gripped at the base once again. Sydney once again watched as the head of his cock changed to the darker shade as the blood flow was interrupted.

_His heart was racing, his breathing quickening as he stroked his balls and then trailed his hand back to the top._

Sydney decided that this was too enjoyable not to stop and watch him after every sentence. She tore her eyes away from the book and watched as his hand dropped down to cup and massage his balls. He tested their weight, the sensation bringing a look of complete bliss to his face. He let them drop and then moved his hand back down to them again, pulling them away from his body slightly and letting them fall back again. His hips pushed off the bed as he slowly pressed and massaged them, mimicking things Sydney recognized as doing to him often.

_He grabbed his cock with his right hand and loosened the grip with the left. The head shrank slightly until he started to stroke the shaft. Her gaze traveled and alternated between watching his hands on his cock and watching as the expressions ran across his face._

Sydney watched again hypnotized as Vaughn's cock imitated what was happening in the story. When he gripped the base, it would turn a darker purple, when he let go, it would lose some of the darker color. She smiled, enthralled with the waterfalls of emotions that cascaded across his face.

_"Do you do this when you think about me?" she asked._

"Vaughn, do you do this when you think about me?" Sydney asked.

_"Yes."_

Vaughn smiled, "Yes."

_"Are you going to come for me?"_

Sydney didn't repeat her own question, waiting for him to answer.

"Maybe," he said, making her jaw drop.

_"Maybe," he teased, kissing her again._

"You're just as bad as the guy in the story…" she said, leaning over and tracing a finger up his chest.

He shuddered and smiled, but when he felt her hand on him, his smile disappeared as the sexual tension mounted.

_His right hand stroked his cock while the left cupped his balls. She raked her fingernails slowly over his abs, sending shockwaves to his cock. His strokes grew shorter and faster as they both concentrated on his cock and he got closer to the edge. His toes started to curl and twitch in anticipation._

Sydney watched as his hand picked up the pace, stroking for a minute before massaging his balls quickly. He moved his hand back up in the next second, the stroking becoming frantic as Sydney raked her nails over his chest and abs and started to breathily read the last lines of the story.

_"You're close, I can tell. You're toes are twitching," she said running her hand down his chest towards his navel and beyond. "Come for me," she breathed._

"Come for me Vaughn…" Sydney said, her hand following the same path downward as the woman in the story.

Vaughn's groan was loud and guttural as Sydney finished.

_He felt the tingling start deep in his groin, quickly spreading outward. His back arched and then fell back, his stomach reeled as the first spurt erupted from his cock. The first spurt hit her stomach, the next, her breasts, other spurts landed on the bed as his hand stroked lightly._

Sydney's own hand reached down and started to rub on her clit as she watched Vaughn on the verge of his orgasm. His hips arched as his hand stroked, his cock throbbing and pulsating from pent up tension.

Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as the first wave of his orgasm washed over him. He grunted, his cock lurching with the force of his climax, spurting some of his seed on his stomach and the rest dribbling down to his balls. His strokes slowed, lightly working his hand over his cock, working the last drops out of the head. He looked over at Sydney, his eyes finally opening to see her in the throws of another orgasm. He was surprised that he didn't hear her before, but by the looks of it, his climax had set off her own. The book was haphazardly lying on the bed from where she dropped it; one had worked her clit while the other was giving her core something to contract around. Her breasts jutted up, the nipples standing proud. As he watched her, his hand kept stroking, smaller, less intense orgasm rippling through him as he watched her come down. She finally caught her breath and looked over at him, their eyes meeting, smiles breaking out.

"Wow," Sydney said, "That was…HOT."

Vaughn chuckled, "You tease worse than I do."

"Well payback's always a bitch honey."

Vaughn smiled, "Well, I'll take your payback over anyone else's."

"Did you enjoy that?" Sydney asked with a smile.

"YEAH…you might put it that way…"

She grinned, "I think there were a few more lines…then there's this matter of a little mess you made…" she said, eyeing his stomach.

Vaughn looked down and smiled, "Yup…your fault…"

Sydney giggled and finished the story.

"You like that?" he asked with a sated grin.


	24. Chapter 219: Finishing Touches

**Chapter 219: Finishing Touches **

"Eroticism is like a dance: one always leads the other." – Milan Kundera

* * *

Sydney smiled and put the book on the nightstand before she turned back to him. "Perhaps…first things first…" she said, leaning up to kiss him before pulling back and bending over to slowly lick the remnants of his orgasm from his stomach.

Vaughn's hand tangled in her hair as he felt her hot mouth lazily lick his semen off of his stomach. She slowly worked her way down, running her hand over his cock before licking the shaft and head clean. She held onto his cock as she ran her tongue over his balls, lapping at any residue left.

Vaughn moaned as he felt himself getting hard again from the wetness her mouth provided. Plus, this time, he could watch her, something he thoroughly enjoyed, and it was turning him on again…a lot.

"Syd…" Vaughn breathed, looking down at Sydney.

Her head turned up to look at him, her hand still wrapped around his cock.

"If you keep that up, we're gonna have a problem," he said, his eyebrows arched.

Sydney smiled, looking at his cock, "How is _that_ a problem?" she asked.

"Well…it's not your problem…it's mine…but…"

She smiled, "It's not a problem – it's an opportunity…"

Vaughn grinned back at her, "Is it now…"

"Mmmhmm…" she said, dipping back down to take the head into her mouth.

His eyes closed as his hips pushed forward, sending him further into her mouth. She sucked powerfully on his head, swirling her tongue around him and starting to stroke him along with her sucking. Her other hand dropped to fondle his balls, the combination of stimulation bringing him back to full erectness.

Vaughn forced his eyes open and looked down at her, "Syd…"

She stopped and looked up at him, "Yeah baby."

He searched her eyes, telling her everything she needed to know, "No more teasing…I need to be inside you."

She smiled and nodded, "I thought maybe you'd be getting tired."

"Not that tired," he said with a smile.

She returned the smile as she moved up to sit on his lap, leaning over to kiss him thoroughly, their tongues swirling and dueling tenderly, the evenings previous eroticism giving way to a more tender display, full of gentle touches and deliberate caresses.

Vaughn looked at her as his head dropped back to the pillow, "Now Sydney…please…" he pleaded softly.

Sydney brought her hand from where it was perched on his chest to his cheek, cupping it for a moment, watching his beautiful green eyes light up while looking at her, before smiling and kissing him slowly. She leaned back and grabbed his cock and slowly brought it to her entrance. His eyes slipped closed again as he started to penetrate her warmth, but he forced them open to watch. The purple swollen head slipped effortlessly into her wetness, completely engulfed by her moisture, sliding in to the hilt.

He let out a short grunt as he felt himself slip in fully, her moan echoing in his ear as she leaned closer to him.

"So good," she moaned, her cheek rubbing against his as she started to move above him.

He leaned into her, his cheek pressing closer to her, his hand reaching for her hip as she rocked forward on him, making him arch his hips to get deeper inside her.

She sat back up then, watching as his eyes followed her movements, alternating between her face and where they were joined as she kept up a steady pace. She gripped him forcefully inside her, loving the sight of his muscles tensing in pleasure when she repeated the action. She became transfixed with watching the muscles ripple until she saw his tongue dart out to wet his lips, dry from exertion.

She smiled, watching as he did it again, and wondering how many times before when they made love had he done that and she _not_ noticed. She leaned forward, the smile still playing on her face.

"What?" he asked breathlessly.

"Nothing," she said with a smile, her forehead coming to rest on his.

Coming once before had done nothing to lessen the feelings that were rapidly rising in him once again. Sydney's body, her soul, her warmth engulfed and surrounded him. She was everywhere. He could feel her, touch her, taste her, breathe her. As she moved atop him, taking him in and out of her moist core, caressing his face, his chest, all he could think of was how much he loved her and how much she must love him to continue to stay with him.

With her forehead pressed against his, it felt like no part of them wasn't touching. He was consumed, part of her, an extension of one being.

"Vaughn?" she asked, bringing him back to the moment.

His eyes focused on hers, "Yeah."

"You ok?" she asked.

He smiled, "Just over thinking…" he said.

Her hand moved once again to his cheek, "Good or bad?" she asked as she slowed her motion.

He looked at her with a complete look of adoration, "Very good," he said softly.

She smiled and kissed him, "You getting close?"

He smiled back at her, "Yeah, and so are you."

She grinned, "How can you tell?"

"You clench more when you're going to come," he said simply.

She giggled, "You thrust harder."

"Syd," he said, grabbing her hand and interlocking their fingers.

She gladly accepted his gesture, squeezing his hand as she started to move faster, his hips rising with the force of the renewed vigor. Her other hand braced on his chest, right over his heart as she veered closer to the edge of climax.

"Michael, come with me," she said as she could feel herself falling.

As he felt her muscles flutter and her fingers grip his powerfully, he tumbled with her, his balls releasing rhythmically, working his seed through his cock in long spurts into her.

Their eyes locked as they rode out the tremors, muscles tensed and relaxed as their orgasms combined into one entity, two raging rivers colliding in the perfect storm, the stars and moon merging to create the perfect night sky as they surrendered to bliss.

Sydney's body slumped against his as her climax dissipated and her energy finally stopped flowing.

They rested, both breathing heavily as they came down, nestled together, still intertwined, bodies hot and moist.

"Well," Vaughn said, "Now I'm tired."

Sydney giggled; setting Vaughn off as well as he shuddered inside her.

"I love you Sydney," he said, the giggling stopping as he regarded her flushed face and disheveled hair.

"Oh Michael, I love you too," she said, kissing him, their foreheads still touching.

Their kissing continued, slow and languid and lazy until Sydney pulled back and ran her hand through his hair and down over his cheek, "Let's get ready for bed again," she said quietly with a smile.

Vaughn nodded, but let out a small whine when she got off of him.

She turned and smiled, asking, "Will that help you sleep?"

Vaughn nodded again and smiled softly.

Sydney nodded back at him and moved the covers to get him settled before she climbed back in bed and retook her place atop him, positioning his semi-hard cock at her entrance and slowly pulling him in.

He groaned as he slipped inside her warmth again and smiled as he felt her settle on his chest and pull the covers around them.

"How was that for an apology?" Sydney asked.

She could feel his smile as his arm tightened around her, "Thank you."

She pulled her head up to look at him, "The appropriate response is 'apology accepted.'"

Vaughn smiled, "Thank you."

Sydney smiled back and laid her head down again, "Night honey."

"Night Sydney."

Sydney was half asleep when she could feel Vaughn moving beneath her. She pulled herself out of sleep thinking the shaking was a result of crying.

"Vaughn?" she asked sleepily as she looked at him.

She was slightly confused when she realized he was not crying, but laughing. She smiled, "Vaughn?"

"I'm sorry Syd," he said as another giggle escaped.

"What's so funny?" she asked, joining him in his infectious giggling.

Vaughn stifled another laugh, "I'm sorry I woke you," he chuckled, "I was just thinking about earlier."

"Earlier?"

"The game, with our parents."

"That was disturbing," Sydney remarked.

Vaughn laughed, "I'm not sure what was more humorous, our parents learning about our sex lives or us getting glimpses of theirs."

"Vaughn, that was just…scary. I did NOT need to know that."

"Well Sydney, it's certainly no secret that we have sex. Hell, my mother talks about our sexual exploits."

Sydney chuckled, "That's true and it was rather amusing for them to torture us with theirs."

Vaughn smiled, a rumble slowly making it's way out of his chest, "Yeah." He thought a minute more, "I'm sorry honey, go back to sleep."

"You're not tired yet?" Sydney asked in an unbelieving tone.

"I am, but I'm sort of awake."

"Well, I'll stay up with you."

"You don't have to do that Sydney."

"I want to," she paused, "Wanna talk?" She didn't wait for an answer, "How are you feeling now? Is this hurting you – me laying here?"

Vaughn smiled, "No, it doesn't hurt me. I'm ok…"

"Does the incision hurt?"

"Not any more than the other ones did…it's not that bad. It's more sore than anything else."

Sydney nodded as her fingers started to trace patterns over his chest, "We have less bandages to change now – they took some off at the hospital that were healed enough."

"I know…"

She smiled and traced a jagged scar, "This one's all healed already…" she said softly as she leaned down to kiss it.

"It wasn't as deep…" Vaughn remarked.

She looked up at him searching his eyes, "Does it bother you?"

"The scars?"

"Yeah…"

He was silent for a moment, "Not at the moment…I think I have too much else to think about…"

"Yeah…you think they will?"

He shrugged.

"I think it would have to Vaughn…"

"It'd be a constant reminder…"

"Yeah…" Sydney traced another scar; "You know I love you, right? With or without the scars…"

Vaughn smiled widely, emotion welling, "Yeah…I know, but thanks for saying it anyway."

Sydney nodded and her head dropped to his chest again, her hand covering his heart, where another scar could be faintly noticed.

"Sometimes, it's sort of positive."

She picked her head up, "The scars?"

"Yeah – it's like…I mean – I lived through it – it's proof…"

"That's definitely a better way to look at it."

"It will though…"

"What?"

"It will bother me more…I think – in time – cosmetically anyway…"

Sydney ran a finger along the edge of the wrap before looking up at him, "Maybe…maybe having them removed…would remove some of the memories…lessen some of the pain?"

"It might," Vaughn responded quietly. "Nothing will take it away though…having them removed…it won't make it easier…but it would be nicer for you too…"

"What? Why?"

"Because it'd be easier to walk around with me without them."

"I don't care about that…"

"I know – but it'd still be easier."

"Michael, I know it won't take away what they did to you…but not looking at them every day, not having the physical manifestation there…it might help to heal you on the inside too."

Vaughn smiled, "You help me heal…"

Sydney returned the affectionate smile and leaned down to kiss him, "I hope so."

"You do."

Sydney's head moved back to his chest, and both were silent. Sydney's hand stilled over his heart as his hand stopped its motion and rested on the small of her back.

"You wanna talk some more?" Sydney asked, stifling a yawn.

Vaughn chuckled, "No, let's go to bed…I love you Sydney."

"I love you too Vaughn."

"Night."

"Night baby."

Sydney fell asleep instantly, her hair tickling his chest in the most delightful manner as she slept. He laid awake for a little while longer, thinking about the evening, smiling about the game, grinning about their erotic reading. His thoughts before he finally slipped off wandered to the place they usually occupied, the woman now sprawled on his chest, her breathing even and warm as it breezed gently across his bare chest, her hand safely guarding his heart, her body keeping him safe and warm.


	25. Chapter 220: Foundation

**Chapter 220: Foundation**

"Ask about your neighbors, then buy the house." – Jewish Proverb

"May the gods grant you all things which your heart desires, and may they give you a husband and a home and gracious concord, for there is nothing greater and better than this -when a husband and wife keep a household in oneness of mind, a great woe to their enemies and joy to their friends, and win high renown." – Homer

"A house is no home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body." – Margaret Fuller

* * *

Vaughn woke Monday morning to feel Sydney squirming her way off of him in a quick attempt to answer the shrill, ringing phone.

"Mmm…Syd?" he asked sleepily, wondering how she thought all that movement wouldn't wake him.

He heard her answer in a hushed tone, "Hello?"

"Hello…is this Sydney?"

"Yes…who's calling?"

"This is Simone Moore with Prudential California Realty…we spoke on the phone last week about finding you a very specific house," she said with a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Oh, hi! Yes…what did you find?"

"I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you…it's been so busy around here, and your…request…well it's a tall order to fill."

"Yes, I know. And that's ok – we've been very busy ourselves."

"Yes, well…I've been looking for something that would fit your needs, or at least property that would be comparable. I'll tell you, it's difficult to have a location with both an ocean view and grass."

Sydney chuckled, "I'm sure it is."

"In general, that is the biggest problem I'm running into…the size of the house, the furnishings, those are fairly easy to accommodate, but the grass and ocean view is…challenging…"

"Well, you can take your time, we weren't looking to buy for several months at least. You have plenty of time to find our dream house."

Simone laughed, "Well that's good to know. Should I keep you updated with the status of what I'm finding or should I call when I actually have something concrete?"

"If you have something concrete probably…"

"Ok, I'll do that."

"Thank you."

"Talk to you soon."

"Goodbye." Sydney hung up the phone and turned to see Vaughn awake and smiling at her.

"Hey," she said, laying down next to him again and kissing him softly on the lips, "Morning."

"Morning…was that our friendly neighborhood realtor?"

Sydney chuckled, "Yes, it was…"

"And what did she have to say."

"Our ocean and grass combo is difficult to locate."

Vaughn smiled, "Well, it's good for her to have a challenge…and it has to be perfect."

"Yes honey, I know. She's gonna keep looking and call when she has something concrete."

"That was a very stealthy move I might add."

"What do you mean?" Sydney asked, looking up at Vaughn.

He smiled, "Your wake up call here…"

Sydney blushed, "Well, yeah…I thought I could kinda ease off of you and get the phone so it wouldn't wake you."

"I know baby, I'm just teasing…I think you just managed to turn me on though."

Sydney smiled, "Did I now?"

"Yeah…"

"Hmm…we might have to take care of that…"

"Might?" Vaughn asked with an amused look.

Sydney was about to answer when there was a knock at the bedroom door.

"Thank God I locked it," she said as she got off the bed and grabbed her robe as she walked over to open it.

Amélie smiled at her from the other side of the door, "Morning Sydney."

"Morning Amélie," she said, stepping aside and letting her into the bedroom.

"Good morning Michael."

"Morning mom."

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I must get going, I just remembered this morning I'm supposed to have lunch with your aunt today. I'm going to be late as it is, and you know Trish will never own a cell phone."

Vaughn smiled, "That's ok mom. Have a nice lunch, tell Aunt Trish I say hi."

"I will Michael," she said, approaching the bed and kissing her son's forehead. "I'll call soon, take care now."

"Ok mom. I love you."

"I love you too." Amélie walked back to Sydney and hugged her, "Goodbye Sydney, take care."

"Bye Amélie."

Sydney smiled, "Aunt Trish huh?"

"Yup, that should be interesting."

"You hungry baby?"

"Yeah."

"How 'bout…French toast? Bacon? I'm no Francie – but I think I can handle that."

Vaughn smiled, "That sounds great."

Sydney nodded and proceeded to the kitchen and bustled around preparing breakfast.

She returned with a tray to find a dozing Vaughn. She smiled, "You still tired?"

Vaughn smiled drowsily, "Mmm, it was sort of a long night…"

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah…"

She helped him sit up and then handed him his pills before climbing into bed with him.

"I didn't tire you out did I?" Sydney asked, only half kidding as she moved a bite of French toast to his mouth.

He smiled, "No…I don't think that will ever tire me out…or if it did, I certainly wouldn't tell you," he said with a smirk.

Sydney smiled back at him, "I suppose not. How are you feeling today?"

"Tired…I'm still a little sore…but I'm ok."

"Well we'll have to make sure you rest a lot today then."

Vaughn smiled, "I can take a bath today, right?"

Sydney chuckled, "Yes you can BATHE."

"Damn…this is really good," he said as he grabbed a piece of bacon off the plate.

Sydney smiled, "Thanks…you French have come up with some great stuff."

"Like what?"

"French toast…French kissing…French fries…"

Vaughn laughed, "Right."

"Croissants…"

"Sydney."

"Champagne…"

"Sydney…" Vaughn chuckled, "Stop."

"What, you don't like me listing your accomplishments?"

Vaughn shook his head, "Just hand me another piece of bacon, and then you can list all you like."

Sydney giggled, "I'll stop…you keep eating, I'll start the bath."

Vaughn beamed, "Well – the French invented charm too," he said with a wink.

Now it was Sydney's turn to shake her head, "It's a good thing you're cute…"

Vaughn smiled as he grabbed another strip of bacon, "Good thing."

Sydney came back a few minutes later, ready to help him to the bathtub. "You done?"

"Yeah."

Sydney smiled and took the plate and then helped him sit up.

He sat shakily for a minute before she helped him stand. Once he was on his feet, he wavered before she grounded him.

"You ok?"

"Yeah…just…a little off balance…"

Sydney smiled knowingly, "Probably the surgery…or the sex…" she said with a sexy smile.

"Coulda been the sex…yeah," Vaughn agreed.

They stood for another minute as he got his bearings, "Ok, I'm good," he said with a nod.

Sydney looked him in the eyes to make sure and then started out for the bathroom.

She planted him in the chair and then removed the wrap before starting to remove the bandages from his back. "They took quite a few off of here Vaughn."

"Did they?" he asked.

"Yeah…they look pretty good too."

Vaughn nodded, but said nothing more.

Sydney moved to the front and peeled off the other bandages that still littered his chest and abdomen. The old incisions were healing nicely, the new one looked sore.

Sydney's brow furrowed when she saw the stitches, the thin line where they had reopened his ribs. Maybe it was because his wounds hadn't been this fresh in awhile, but it just looked…angry…irritated and painful…


	26. Chapter 221: Soothing Waters

**Chapter 221: Soothing Waters**

"The pith of conversation does not consist in exhibiting your own superior knowledge on matters of small consequence, but in enlarging, improving and correcting the information you possess by the authority of others." – Sir Walter Scott

"Experience is a revelation in the light of which we renounce our errors of youth for those of age." – Ambrose Bierce

* * *

"Vaughn…" she said softly.

"What?" he asked as she looked up at him.

She reached out her hand and carefully touched the wound, careful not to hurt him. Then she kissed her fingers and moved them to the wound. She looked up at him, his eyes worried and stormy. She smiled at the thought of he worrying about her, when it was she who should be worried about him.

"Does it hurt?" she asked and then shook her head, "That's a dumb question."

Vaughn smiled a soft and easy smile, "It's not too bad…others were worse. It's just tender…"

"Yeah…I'm sorry," Sydney said.

"Don't be sorry…It's ok…I'm ok Syd," he said reassuring her.

Sydney smiled at his strength, his need for her to know that he was ok, even if he was lying through his teeth.

"Let's get you in the tub, maybe it'll make it feel better."

Vaughn nodded and accepted her hand, and the two moved over to the tub.

She eased him in and they fell into the normal bath routine, soaking and just relaxing, letting the water do its work to ease the ache and pain of Vaughn's injuries and tired muscles.

"You know that after today you only have two more days of your antibiotic?"

Vaughn smiled and turned his head to look at her, "Really?"

"Yeah really," Sydney said taking advantage of his turned head to kiss him.

"The infected one feels better too."

"Aw honey, I'm so happy." She tightened her grip on him. She ran a wet hand through his newly washed hair, "I've been thinking a lot lately…"

"Bout what?"

"The realtor just made me think some more…"

Vaughn craned his head to look at her, "What?"

"Our house…"

"Yeah."

"Well…I really don't know if I want to go back to the CIA."

Vaughn turned even more, "You don't?"

"Not really…I mean – I don't know how I'll go back after spending all this time with you. To go back and not have that every minute like I do now, I don't know what I'll do."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he said, settling back into her arms.

"You do?"

"Yeah, well I don't really relish the fact of going back and starting this all over, the potential that it could happen at any time again, ya know?"

"Yeah, I'm not fond of that notion either."

"What else would we do? We can only spend so much time not working…only spend so many days in the bathtub," he said with a smirk.

Sydney chuckled, "I know, I was thinking about that too…working with you is just…that's what we do…we work well together. I don't want that to go away either."

"Well…you mean you want to quit…now?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of…when you're ready to go back…going back, killing Sloane painfully and then leaving."

Vaughn chuckled, "Well that sounds like a plan, but he's sort of elusive. It could take more than a few days," he said looking up at her.

"I know…"

"Is that something you want to do? Would you be willing to stay for as long as it takes to bring him down?"

"I'm not sure."

"Depends on how long?"

"Yeah, I've been chasing him for too long already. I just want us to be able to move on. Can you do that? Could you leave?"

Vaughn was quiet, thinking; "I think…I think I joined the CIA because I was desperate to prove something and to avenge my father's death…but…if I have no more reason to stay…" he trailed off.

"Would bringing Sloane down be enough?"

"Are you asking me if I would still want to hunt down your mother?"

Sydney smiled, "In a way, yes."

"I have severely conflicted feelings about your mother," he stated.

"Understandable."

"I…I want to believe that it was…more complicated than I want to make it out. I want to believe the scenarios where she was actually trying to help him; that she was ordered to…that…that she didn't do it for sport, for cold blood. And the fact that she helped me…well that just blurs things even worse. I keep trying to think of her motives, if they are even detectable, if we could even decipher what she thinks, if she's in it just for herself or if she actually cares. Why did she do it? That's always the question. Why my father? Why did she help me? Was it just because she was worried about you? Did she really care that I was going to die? Was she worried about backlash from you? Was she motivated by greed? Is she capable of being motivated by love?" he paused, "It's just so hard to read her. You never know it seems. And I want to believe the best part, but it's so hard to do that knowing that she had some role, any role in my father's death."

He stopped and took a deep breath, waiting for Sydney's response.

Sydney's mouth however, was hanging open…and she couldn't make the words come forth.

"Syd?" Vaughn asked, looking back at her.

She finally closed her mouth, "I…just…yeah – that's the most you've ever said about her in…well forever," she said with a short laugh. "I think that was by far the most accurate statement on my mother yet. And I feel the same way," she said, running her hand through his hair again.

"Well I can only imagine it being more confusing for you Sydney, I mean she's your mother and it's insane to think of you having to question all of that. Your parents' love should be cut and dry, not questionable."

"I know…but, us…I mean – it's like we were destined to be together yet there's all this shit that makes it insane."

"Nah…we're pretty normal I think considering. We don't let it get to us."

"That's true…you've been most vocal in this bath Mr. Vaughn."

"Well, it's the water…it relaxes me…and you bring it out of me too. And, we needed to talk about it sometime, what better place than the warm sanctuary of the bathtub."

Sydney chuckled, "Very, very true. I'm glad we talked about it though."

"Me too."

They were both silent, lost in their thoughts until Vaughn asked, "You think we'll ever know?"

"Know what?"

"What happened…with my father…and why she helped me now."

"I don't know…are you sure you want to know what happened between your father and my mother?"

"I think knowing would at least bring some semblance of closure to the whole topic…"

"Yeah…" She paused, "But…what if it was in cold blood Michael, what then?"

Vaughn thought a moment, "I'm not sure…before I met you, I'd convinced myself that it was in cold blood, but after meeting you…I'm not so sure. You've humanized her for me, and her own role now, helping me…it just…it makes things unclear. I think at least knowing…it would help."

Sydney nodded and they fell back into silence. She waited a few more minutes, "You want to stay in the tub yet for a bit?"

"Nah, we should probably get out pretty soon, Barnett's gonna be here."

"Yep," Sydney said, pushing him forward gently. She helped him out and sat him on the chair, drained the tub and came back to him. "Ok…bandage time," she said, smiling at him.


	27. Chapter 222: She’s Got Legs…

**Chapter 222: She's Got Legs…**

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me  
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall  
You say it best…when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud  
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd (the crowd)  
Try as they may they could never define  
What's been said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me  
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall  
You say it best…when you say noting at all

Oh, the smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me  
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall  
You say it best (say it best)…when you say nothing at all

* * *

She did the ones on his chest and abdomen first, redressing his newest incision with tenderness. She surveyed a few of the other ones and looked at him, "What do you think…should we try to leave a few off?"

He looked down, "Um…I guess…whatever you think."

She chuckled, "Well you know how they feel honey, I don't."

Vaughn studied the varied cuts and incisions on his chest and abdomen trying to decide which ones he thought were healed enough to warrant no bandages. His brow furrowed and he finally sighed, "I really don't know Syd."

She looked at him and turned her head, "Ok…well…let's try something else." She bent down next to the chair and gently reached out her finger, tracing over one of the incisions. "Does that hurt?"

"No."

She pressed lightly on it, "Now?"

"No."

She inspected it closely and then moved back, Vaughn meeting her eyes as she rocked back on her heels, "I think that one's good."

Vaughn nodded, "Ok."

Sydney smiled, "Should we use that method on the other ones?"

"Sure," he said nodding again.

Sydney set back to work, using the same method on ones that she was unsure about. After she was done with his chest, she moved to his back, and did the same thing, evaluating the wounds and bandaging only those that she thought needed the extra protection.

"K, I think that's it…we'll try it this way today…we'll have to check them though…make sure or if they start to hurt…"

"Ok Syd," Vaughn said nodding.

She smiled and kissed him lightly as she rewrapped his ribs, "Shave?"

He yawned, "Nah, I'd rather be low maintenance today."

Sydney chuckled, "Absolutely." She looked back at him, "You mind if I do?"

Vaughn looked at her strangely, "Do what?"

"Shave."

His brow furrowed, "I'm not…"

She turned and grabbed a pink razor from the drawer and held it in front of him, "My legs Vaughn."

"Oh," he said. He smirked, "Not at all…"

Sydney smiled, "You sure you can sit up, I can take you back to the bed."

"No, I'm all wrapped, I'm fine right here," Vaughn said nodding, very interested in her task.

She shot him a look, "I can come in the bedroom and do this if you want to watch honey."

Vaughn smiled, "I'm ok…and if you just do it now, I'm sure I'll be fine."

Sydney laughed, "Well ok then."

She lathered her right leg with shaving cream and put her foot up on the bathtub. She made broad strokes up her shapely legs, leaving behind smooth skin. Vaughn watched in fascination as she brought the razor up, rinsed it off and then did it all over again, making stops at hard to reach areas behind her knee. When she finished with the right leg, she rinsed it under the water of the bathtub and then dried it off before returning to her position with her left leg up on the tub. His breathing picked up as she shaved the second leg, her naked form bared before him, her legs scissored just enough that he could see the faintest vision of her moist center peeking back at him. She concentrated intensely on her chore, careful not to knick the skin. Vaughn scarcely knew if she noticed him in the room at the moment. He however, was having an awful time not being drawn to that pink, moist part of her anatomy.

When she was done with the second leg, she rinsed it like the first and then dried it off, breaking his view of her. She put the cream and the razor away and turned around to face him.

The minute she looked at him again, she could see the love in his eyes, but there was also blatant lust written there. She smiled, "You like that?"

He took a deep breath, "That was damn near the sexiest thing I've ever witnessed."

Sydney chuckled, "I don't find it so, but if you enjoyed it, that's good."

Vaughn smiled back at her, "I did…the…show was quite nice…and when all my fingers work properly, I wanna do it."

Sydney smirked, "Hmm…another thing to turn you on."

"Sydney," he said in his 'listen-to-me' voice, "your mere presence alone does that…however, when you're nonchalantly baring all to me…"

"Ditto," she said, walking over and kissing him lightly, "Let's get you dressed and settled before Barnett gets here."

"We could call and reschedule," he said with the faintest of hope.

"Good try," Sydney said as she helped him up and started to walk to the bedroom, "Later…" she said, "Promise."

Vaughn smiled and nodded, "Works for me."

She helped him stand and walk back to the bedroom, depositing him gently on the bed and stepped in between his legs momentarily to hold him. His arm reflexively held onto her back as his head pressed against her stomach. She ran her hand through his damp hair while the other played on his neck and ear.

He finally turned his head up to look at her, her eyes already looking down in love to meet his, "I love you," he said quietly.

She smiled and leaned down to kiss him, "I love you too." His head turned again, pressed into her stomach and she went back to her languid caresses. She was surprised that he was able to sit up that long, especially because he had just recently been put through another surgical procedure, but he seemed to be doing relatively well. She pulled back, and he looked up at her again, "We should get you dressed…" she said smiling softly, running her hand down his face, "Barnett will be here soon."

He nodded and let her move away from him to the clothes.

"You want low maintenance clothes today too?" she asked, turning around to him again.

He smiled, "Yeah, that'd be good."

She returned the smile and came back to him with boxers, a pair of black sweatpants and a loose gray cotton tee shirt. She started to help him with the boxers and the sweats and then looked up at him, "In case you're wondering, the boxers…they'll come off later."

He grinned at her, "Well you did promise."

She smiled and worked them both up his legs, then helped him stand momentarily as she brought them all the way up. She carefully worked his left arm into the shirt and then put it over his head before letting him get his right in the other arm. While he did that, she turned to get him a pair of socks, and looked back just in time to see him wince. "You ok?" she asked as she kneeled down to get his socks on.

"Yeah," he said tiredly.

"Too much this morning?"

"Isn't it always?" he said with a sigh, "Bath, walk, eat, tired."

"Vaughn," she said, kneeling between his legs, "You just had surgery again."

"I know."

She kissed him and touched his cheek, "Give yourself a break," she pleaded as she worked his arm back into the sling and placed it over his head.

"I'm tired of being tired."

"I know baby…"

"You've got to be tired of it too…"

She smiled, "I'm not…and believe me…you're not all that tired Vaughn," she said winking.

He smirked back, "Well, when I'm in the bed…that's an entirely different story…but I've usually rested all day to get to that point."

"Honey, the things we do…you need a lot more than rest," she said chuckling. She pressed on his chest, indicating he should scoot back on the bed, "It won't be long now; you'll be up and about…running wind sprints…" she trailed off, seeing if he would catch the reference.

He looked up at her, "You saved me that time too…"

Her face turned instantly softer as she got him settled on the bed, "And that turned out alright didn't it?"

He nodded, looking down, "It's just harder this time…"

"I know," she said, grabbing his chin and making him look at her, "It'll get easier…"

"When?" he asked, sounding like a defeated little boy.

"Every day…just like us," she replied.

He smiled, a genuine, dimpled smile, "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I love you."

"I love you too."

She leaned over and kissed him, letting her lips linger near his as her fingers danced over his cheek and chin. They were still lingering closely when the doorbell rang. Sydney smiled at Vaughn and got off the bed, walking to the door with a wide smile.


	28. Chapter 223: Progression

**Chapter 223: Progression  
**

"If there is no struggle, there is no progress." – Frederick Douglass

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended." – Nelson Mandela

"Never discourage anyone...who continually makes progress, no matter how slow." – Plato

"The curious paradox is that when I accept myself as I am, then I can change." - Carl Rogers

* * *

Barnett smiled back at her as she opened the door, "Hello Sydney." 

"Hi Dr. Barnett," she said, allowing her to step in the house.

"Bedroom?" Barnett asked.

"Yep," Sydney said, shutting the door and watching as Barnett made her way to the bedroom. Barnett closed the door and Sydney stood for a moment, thinking, before she too walked off; her place for the time being – the den.

She sat for a moment, thinking more about Vaughn, smiling before she turned on the computer and navigated her way through the Internet system to access the CIA mainframe. She pulled a stack of the files that had started to collect dust over and tried to reacquaint herself to what they had been reading.

Barnett smiled as she walked in the room and closed the door, "Hello Michael."

"Hi," Vaughn replied.

"How are you today?"

"I'm pretty good."

"How've things been going here?"

"Well I spent a lot of the weekend in the hospital – but it's been better actually."

"Why were you in the hospital?"

"Well after the night terror that I don't remember, pain was sort of unbearable, so Tom came over and we had to go get x-rays and I wound up needing surgery."

"I assume the surgery went okay. How was it going back to the hospital?"

"Surgery went fine," Vaughn paused a moment, "It was different this time around. I mean; Tom's great and he sort of has this knack for keeping your mind off of things. I had a flashback when they took the first x-rays, so that...well wasn't pleasant, but afterwards...I don't know, I guess I just decided I had to start making the choices. Use my fear differently, as Sydney says. But it was liberating in a sense, to be in control. I haven't felt that in a while."

Barnett smiled, "That's quite a positive attitude you've finally taken. I'm very proud that you've decided to start making your own choices, not to let your fear control you. How did you get through the flashback you had?"

"Pretty much it was just Sydney, as always. She just told me that I was ok, that they couldn't hurt me, that it was just a flashback. It didn't last very long actually."

Barnett smiled knowingly, "You're getting better Michael."

Vaughn grinned but looked down, "Well it doesn't usually feel like it. It was all Sydney again – if she wouldn't have been there it wouldn't have turned out that way."

"I know it doesn't feel like it sometimes. The fact that your flashback didn't last very long is testament to the fact that you're getting better. It didn't last long because you didn't allow it to. You're learning to redirect your feelings. Whether you believe it's all Sydney's doing or not, you're learning. She might be helping you through it, but she can't make you do those things. You do it yourself. She's just the reason you try so hard."

Vaughn smiled but he didn't say anything.

Barnett paused and then asked, "Speaking of Sydney, how is she doing through all of this?"

Vaughn smiled, "She's good. She says she's very proud of me," he replied, beaming.

"As well she should be. You're doing well Michael."

"She likes to analyze how everyone has changed because of what happened to me."

"And how do you feel about her analysis of them?"

Vaughn chuckled, "Well...I'm not convinced, but I can see how it affects everyone around us."

"Is that good or bad?"

"I'm not sure. I guess it's good. They see things differently."

"It's always nice to see something positive come from darkness. The more people that understand, the easier it will be to heal."

"I guess," Vaughn said, pausing, before continued, "I just have this fear that when I go back to work, people's 'understanding' will turn into pity. That they'll all know what happened and then try to overcompensate, walk on eggshells. Or that I'll have some flashback in the middle of the Ops Center or worse on a mission and get somebody killed."

Barnett nodded, "That's understandable, but most people you're around in the Ops Center have been here with you since the beginning and they've expressed that they don't feel pity. They're proud and impressed and understanding. You're always going to have a few who think you should be handled with 'kid gloves,' but overall, there won't be pity. It's not an easy thing to survive prolonged torture, and trust me when I tell you that CIA agents understand that better than anyone. Most have been tortured or hurt in some way as well, and they remember how much they didn't want anyone's pity. The worse that'll happen is they empathize with you, and that's not a bad thing. They understand it. Anyone who joins the Agency knows there's always the possibility of something like this happening, it's not going to come as a shock to anyone. As for having flashbacks, well that's just a part of healing. You can't let that stop you from living your life. If you do, then they've won Michael. You're doing a good job dealing with flashbacks, you focus on getting better, and you're going to continue to get better. By the time you're back to being field rated, you'll be an ace at dealing with random flashes. I can't promise that you won't have flashbacks at inopportune times, but I can promise you that I wouldn't clear you unless I had every faith that you could overcome them quickly if they occurred."

"Well that's reassuring," Vaughn said sincerely.

There was a pause before he asked, "What about these night terrors. Sydney told me what happened, but I don't remember anything, and we've been too caught up in hospital business to really find anything out about them. Sydney was really scared."

"It's extremely common not to remember having night terrors, so don't worry about the fact that you can't remember. Very few actually do. It's never actually been determined why people have night terrors, nor how to stop them. A lot of kids will have night terrors when they're little and then they just stop. No one knows if they grow out of them or what. Adults can have one or two their entire life and then never again. We don't know. They're essentially like sleepwalking, except it's okay to wake a person having a night terror. You're technically still asleep when you have one even if you're sitting up or standing and your eyes are open. I know Sydney was scared; they're scary to witness. Mostly because they're loud, they're hard to wake up from, and you don't know why they happen."

"Well do you think this is torture related? Am I going to have more of these? I had that one right after I spent a significant amount of time thinking and writing about torture."

"It's hard to say. It could be torture related, it could be stress related, it could just be a different type of release your body needed. I don't know if you're going to have more or not. If you do, you can take a small comfort in the fact that Sydney is more prepared to handle them now. I know, it's not all that comforting since you've been through so much already, but I honestly can't say if you'll have another one or not. I told Sydney I'd bring a book for you to read about night terrors, it's called _The Terror That Comes in the Night: An Experience-Centered Study of Supernatural Assault Traditions_ by David J. Hufford," Barnett said handing it to him, "Maybe it'll help you a little."

Vaughn accepted the book, "Thanks."

"There's also a great website, I'll write it down for you, but I also sent Sydney a link. It has some first hand accounts of night terrors, it might help you understand."

"Ok…thank you."

Barnett smiled, "I think we'll cut this session a little short, okay? You need your rest Michael. Remember to write in your journal if you're up to it."

"Ok. Thank you again, Dr. Barnett…for everything."

"Have a good afternoon. I'll see you Wednesday," Barnett said, walking to the door.

"Ok."

Barnett walked out of the bedroom and called to Sydney on her way out, "Goodbye Sydney, I'll see you on Wednesday."

Sydney called back, "Bye!" and looked at the clock. Her brow furrowed and she bolted to the bedroom. Vaughn was awkwardly paging through a book, his brow mirroring hers, but his was obviously in concentration.

"Vaughn?" she asked, coming further into the room and sitting on the bed.

He smiled at her as his eyes looked up, "Hi."

"Hi," she said smirking, "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said confused.

"That was just…sort of short…the session…"

Vaughn smiled again, "She let me off the hook cause I had surgery…said I needed to rest."

"Ah," Sydney replied nodding. "Good."

"Why?"

"I was worried…maybe…I don't know…I thought…I was worried," she finished with.

"You were worried?"

"Yeah…that maybe you were upset or something…"

"No, I'm ok…" he said reassuringly.

"K," she said taking a deep breath, "What are you reading?"

"Barnett gave me a book on night terrors…"

"Oh shit, I think she sent me an email with a site link too…"

"Yeah, she wrote it down for me."

"Ok…" Sydney watched a minute as he flipped through a few more pages of the book. "What does it say?"

He chuckled, "Well…lots…" he paused, "I just hope I don't have any more…for your sake."

"Vaughn, it's ok…"

He looked up at her, "No I don't think so…"

"But I'll know what it is now…"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want you to have to go through it again."

"Well, it's no picnic for you either."

"But I don't remember it…"

Sydney gave him a lopsided smile, "The book won't make them stop."

"No…I know…just want to understand…maybe I should check out the site, that'd be easier for me to manage."

"You want me to stay?"

"It's ok…I should do some journaling too…" he trailed off.

Sydney smiled and kissed his forehead, "Ok…you do some journaling…I'll do some work in the den. Sound like a plan?"

"Yeah…ok…"

Sydney kissed him again before walking out of the bedroom and settling at her own computer.

She'd been working for about an hour when she thought she should check on Vaughn. She looked at the bottom of her screen and smiled, getting a different idea for how to 'check up' on him…


	29. Chapter 224: Connecting People Household

**Chapter 224: Connecting People Household Wide**

"The medium is the message." – Marshall McLuhan

"It is the responsibility of the sender to make sure the receiver understands the message." – Joseph Batten

"The first ingredient in conversation is truth, the next good sense, the third good humor, and the fourth wit." – Unknown

"A computer won't clean up the errors in your manual of procedures." – Sheila M. Eby

_

* * *

_

Vaughn had scanned over the website Barnett had written down for him and was midway through typing another trying episode of 'The Days of My Capture,' when an instant message box, accompanied by a small ringing sound, popped up on his screen.

His brow furrowed, but then the screen name '**FrenchKissed007**' registered and a smile played on his face. The message: "**Whatcha' doin?**" was written in purple font on his screen.

He snorted when he saw his screen name '**SexySecretAgentMan**.' He messaged back, "**looking at porn, you?**"

**FrenchKissed007:** **Oh, so you got those pictures I e-mailed you, did ya?  
**  
Vaughn's brow furrowed again as he navigated to his email as quickly as possible. He checked through the messages that were unread, and he found no porn e-mails from Sydney.

He yelled, "LIAR!" to her from the bedroom.

Sydney chuckled as she typed…

**FrenchKissed007:** **There's one born every minute…  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **can't blame a guy for trying…**  
**FrenchKissed007:** **Men are so easy  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **are you complaining?**  
**FrenchKissed007:** **Not at all. We're due for something being easy.  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **i'll be as easy as you want me to be  
FrenchKissed007:** **Good to know. So what are you really doing Boy Scout?  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **just another episode of 'days of my capture'  
FrenchKissed007:** **Wanna take a break?  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **gladly**  
**FrenchKissed007:** **K, why don't you close that file and concentrate on me…  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **it's already closed  
FrenchKissed007:** **Now open me  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **damn woman**  
**FrenchKissed007:** **Well we have to work on your manual dexterity**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **stress balls aren't enough?  
FrenchKissed007:** **There's other balls I'd like to concentrate on for the moment**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **you're kinda far away to concentrate on those balls**  
**FrenchKissed007:** **Well you can concentrate on those balls until I can get back there  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **i'd run out of hands real quick – how would i keep typing?  
FrenchKissed007:** **I don't need to read what's going on. I can tell by your moans**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **that's going to be a rather one-sided sexual experience. what do you get out of the deal?  
FrenchKissed007:** **Your moans make me hot so you'll be able to hear mine**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **i'd rather see it in person  
FrenchKissed007:** **Would you?**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **yes**  
**FrenchKissed007:** **How badly?  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **it's no fun if i can't touch you  
**  
Vaughn looked up to see Sydney's response. Instead, a different instant message box had popped up. The screen name '**DrFeelGoodLove**,' with the message, "**You better not be sitting up on a computer!**" was there.

Vaughn snorted when he realized the person that received the "touching" message could only be Tom.

**DrFeelGoodLove:** **I love you man – but we can't touch that way…You're too late, I'm engaged now…  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **sorry dude – wrong im  
DrFeelGoodLove:** **It's okay…It happens. The other day I accidentally sent the Chief of Staff something meant only for Kaia. Luckily James is a friend of mine and he understood…Kaia, however, felt left out.  
**  
Vaughn smiled and typed his message to Sydney.

While he waited for Sydney's response, he clicked on Tom's flashing IM.

**DrFeelGoodLove:** **You feelin ok?**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **i'm ok…a little tired, but i feel pretty good…  
DrFeelGoodLove:** **That's good Mike…Dude, what's up with the gay name? I got this email with new sign-on's.  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **that would be courtesy of sydney and you're one to talk drfeelgoodlove  
DrFeelGoodLove:** **Yeah, Kaia picked mine out too…damn dude – we need more masculine names!  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **well…i'm sexy…you're feel good – i mean, it's not bad. at least we're not asshole and sonofabitch.  
DrFeelGoodLove:** **Good point.**

Vaughn clicked on Sydney's IM:  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **it's no fun if i can't touch you  
FrenchKissed007:** **What took you so long Boy Scout – I was worried you found someone new…  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **oh yes, i did. tall, dark, handsome, likes it when i call him doctor  
FrenchKissed007:** **So you met my boyfriend, huh?  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **how many boyfriends you got?  
FrenchKissed007:** **A few  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **can you stand one more boyfriend?  
FrenchKissed007:** **I suppose I could make room for one more  
SexySecretAgentMan: i can be pretty demanding…  
FrenchKissed007:** **I'm sure I could keep up your demands. The question is: Can you keep up with mine?  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **what kinda demands are we talking about?  
FrenchKissed007:** **Give me 5 minutes and I'll show you  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **done. t-minus 5 minutes and counting…tick tock…  
FrenchKissed007:** **lick cock…  
**  
Vaughn's jaw dropped as Sydney managed to shock him once again. He looked at Tom's instant message flashing and clicked it.

**DrFeelGoodLove:** **You all right man? That hot honey of yours keeping you busy?**  
**SexySecretAgentMan:** **gotta go  
DrFeelGoodLove:** **LOL, ok…  
SexySecretAgentMan:** **talk to you later  
DrFeelGoodLove:** **Oh, that's ok – DrEggRoll is on now – I'll be having my own fun. See ya Mike.  
**  
Vaughn clicked the exit before responding back, now much more occupied with the woman standing stark naked in the bedroom doorway…


	30. Chapter 225: Cracked

**Chapter 225: Cracked**

And I would be the one  
To hold you down  
Kiss you so hard  
I'll take you're breath away  
And after I'd  
Wipe away the tears  
Just close your eyes dear

Through this world I stumble  
So many times betrayed  
Trying to find an honest word  
to find the truth enslaved  
Oh, you speak to me in riddles  
and you speak to me in rhymes  
My body aches to breathe your breath  
Your words keep me alive

And I would be the one  
To hold you down  
Kiss you so hard  
I'll take your breath away  
And after I'd  
wipe away the tears  
Just close your eyes, dear

Into this night I wander  
It's morning that I dread  
Another day of knowing of  
The path I fear to tread  
Oh, into the sea of waking dreams  
I follow without pride  
Cause' nothing stands between us here  
And I won't be denied

* * *

She threw him a confident grin as one arm leaned on the doorframe before she pushed away from the frame and sauntered into the room, her breasts swaying with the movement of her hips.

His breath hitched as he watched her move the laptop off of his lap and onto the chair, her silky skin and firm, bare ass laid out for him to see as she hunched slightly to place the laptop in a safe position.

Sydney smiled in triumph, knowing the effect that her nudity was having on him. She could see the change in his demeanor, the darkness that settled in his eyes as his mind fogged over with lust and passion. She turned and shared her smile with him, her dimples sexy and playful, challenging him to speak.

"Syd…" he said, his voice almost hoarse with anticipation.

"So…are you ready to meet my demands Boy Scout?" she asked in a low and seductive tone.

He nodded, but truthfully, he had no clue what she had asked, no coherent thoughts or logical processing systems were functioning in him at the moment. He was convinced the only thing that seemed to be working was his circulatory system, which was now pumping every ounce of blood in his body straight to his cock.

He was at once thankful and not thankful that Sydney had dressed him low maintenance earlier. While it was certainly easier to be 'free' when one was only sweats, he had to admit that being constrained, being tense in a tight pair of blue jeans could be extremely pleasing and highly erotic, at least for a time. However, at this moment, he didn't have that problem. His cock; was tenting in the sweats, ready to stand tall and handle any _demands_ she might have.

As she witnessed his obvious arousal, she crawled on the bed and planted herself on his lap, pressing her ass into his erection. Vaughn thrust into her, trying to rock her back into his erection but her words stopped his motions.

"I think we'll leave you in your clothes…" she said thoughtfully as her hands pressed flat against the headboard, framing his head with her arms.

"We will?" he asked confused.

"Mmmhmm…"

"Why? Why don't I get to be naked too?" he asked with a smile.

Sydney smiled, "Well…this is about my demands…I'm _demanding_ you stay IN your clothes…while you service my needs…"

"Oh…" Vaughn said, "And…what demands do you have?"

Sydney smirked, "You're going to please me of course…"

Before she let him respond she kissed him roughly and started to move him down on the bed. Once she had him supine on a pillow, she threw the others off the bed. They feathery objects landed on the hardwood floor, but neither occupants heard the sound; too drowned in each other.

Vaughn looked up at her in lust and questioning, wondering what she had in store next.

He didn't have to wait long for an answer, as he watched Sydney grip the top of the headboard and straddle his head. His dimpled smile broke out as Sydney looked down at him, "You get the picture? This is my first demand…you're going to use your God-given, awesomely French tongue to bring me insurmountable pleasure."

"View's nice from down here," Vaughn said as he gripped her hip and urged her downward.

She complied, sinking down closer to his waiting mouth. He darted his tongue out, licking her from the bottom of her dripping center all the way to the top, flicking his tongue once over her clit. Her knuckles became white as she gripped the headboard harder and her head fell back in ecstasy. He concentrated on her clit, running his tongue in circles over and over before pressing into each side, making her squirm to get his tongue where she needed it most.

"Left Vaughn, left!" she screamed, arching her back and sending his tongue forward instead of left. "Oh God," she moaned, as his hand tightened on her hip, bringing her closer so he could add more pressure.

The abruptly, his tongue was gone. She looked down at him, concerned and rather unsatisfied. He was smiling cheekily back up at her.

"Did I tell you to stop?" she asked seriously, but behind her demanding tone was a playful side that Vaughn picked up on.

"No ma'am," he said, going back eagerly to his task, pushing the tip of his tongue directly into her core, lapping at the moisture that was threatening to fall.

Her moans increased as she felt him probe her walls with his tongue, pressing deeper and sucking on her outer lips in a gentle, yet forceful manner. She picked up a rhythm with him as he started to thrust his tongue in and out of her, her knees rocking her against his talented and willing mouth.

His hand left her hip, leaving her unsteady for a moment, as she readjusted her grip on the headboard. Before he started again, he moved the oxygen tube from under his nose and out of the way of his continuing ministrations. Any semblance of balance she had, left when his thumb began to work on her clit while his tongue was occupied with her throbbing channel. The pressure he didn't give her before was in full force as he redoubled his efforts to bring her to the brink.

He lapped at her spilling juices one more time before switching places, his tongue once again on her clit, alternating lightening quick butterfly licks and sucking on her sensitive nub. He pressed three fingers without warning into her drenched core, pressing firmly against her front wall.

Her fingers grappled for purchase on the straining headboard as the new sensation hit her. She tried to keep her quivering legs from collapsing on his delicious mouth and fingers as he sped her steadily towards bliss.

Her movements atop him became sporadic, more frantic, her hips rolling and jerking in erratic patterns.

He smiled as he struggled to keep her balanced. He pulled back from her clit and said breathily, "Syd, if you don't stop squirming, I can't help you…"

She looked down at the smug expression on his face, "I wouldn't stop the power play now Vaughn or you get no stick action."

He chuckled as he went back to his task, the vibrations enough to push Sydney into her orgasm. Her walls clenched on his fingers as he pressed them deftly in just the way she needed, coaxing her through her delirious climax. Her grip on the headboard threatened to slip once again as her legs shuddered in pleasure. She had been pulling and hanging on the headboard for so long, her arms ached with overexertion. Her climax only served to tighten the grip, her hands needing something to hold onto desperately as the tremors racked her body.

Not even the deafening crack the headboard made as it finally gave way to the strain pulled Sydney or Vaughn out of their blissful sexual haze.

Vaughn brought her down slowly, letting his mouth slip away from her so he could watch as the last ripples of her orgasm washed over her, his fingers still gently dancing inside her.

When she was finally breathing normally she looked down at the man who'd brought her to such heights of titillation. The smile on his face was absolutely adorable. It was a mix or pride and love and lust, with a huge amount of egotistical 'I just brought my girlfriend to the heights of insurmountable pleasure,' mixed in for good measure.

Sydney weighed her options carefully before she said, "I demand that you stop looking so smug."

"Well…you enjoyed it…"

"Do I need to repeat my demand?"

"No, I think I got it," he said trying to wipe the smirk off his face, but he wasn't very successful. "Do you have more demands planned?" he asked.

"You'll know my demands when I vocalize them," she stated simply.

"Ok, well, I don't mean to…rush you…and your demands…but…fulfilling your first demand…" he waited, seeing if she would pick up on his meaning, but she offered him nothing to indicate she was going to let him off that easily. "I…Syd…come on…I'm so hard…can't you feel how hard I am?"

"Of course, that doesn't mean I have to do anything about it…who's making the demands?" she asked, scooting herself down on his body and pressing her ass into his hardness again.

"Can't…we maybe…just…have me naked for the next demand?"

Sydney thought momentarily, making sure he knew she was debating on the subject. After a lengthy pause, she finally looked back at him, "Ok."

"Yes!" he said happily, starting to squirm to help her get him out of his clothes.

"Just hold on a second there mister…"

He stopped, looking up at her expectantly.

"I said you could be nude…I didn't say how long I was gonna make you wait…I demand you slow down…that we go…slow," she said with a raised brow, "Perhaps…going slowly will make you learn to accept my rules, my requirements…do we really need to have this conversation? Or will you behave now?"

"I'll behave," he said, but his matching raised brow made her smile.

"Mmmhmm…Well then…we'll just have to make you realize…" she said, slowly moving her hands down his chest, running her fingers over the material of his shirt before teasing him by worming her fingers underneath the shirt to play with him, only to remove the fingers when he was starting to moan.

"Syd…"

"You have to learn to slow down," she said in a sing-song-y voice as her fingers roamed down over his straining erection. "My, my, aren't we hard…" she said as she squeezed him through the sweatpants.

"Please…"

"S L O W," Sydney said, smiling to herself as she finally allowed him to take the shirt off, pulling it up and teasing his skin with soft licks before even beginning to take it off.

She discarded the shirt on the floor and then went back to his chest, licking and sucking on the warm skin again, making his breath quicken and hitch as she moved around his chest to nip at his nipples.

"God Syd…please…" he whispered.

"You're gonna have a helluva time later honey…" she said smiling.


	31. Chapter 226: Sydney Says…

**Chapter 226: Sydney Says…**

Take me under,  
I'm giving in to you  
I'm dying tonight,  
I'm giving in to you  
Watch me crumble,  
I'm giving in to you  
I'm crying tonight,  
I'm giving in to you" – "Giving In" – Adema

"There are limits to self-indulgence, none to restraint." – Mahatma Gandhi

"There're two people in the world that are not likeable: a master and a slave." – Nikki Giovanni

* * *

His response was a long, frustrated moan, his eyes closing as Sydney moved down his body, her nails raking over his skin as she leisurely made her way steadily downward.

His hips thrust upward when her delicate fingers reached for the elastic band of his sweatpants, but she simply toyed with the elastic, pulling it out and then letting it snap back against his skin.  
"Shit!"

Sydney chuckled and pulled at the elastic again. His hips rose with her, expecting her to let go again, but she held on this time, confusing him. He looked down at her, only to see her smile mischievously and let go of the elastic.

The phrases that were going through his head at the moment weren't the most loving, but he couldn't vocalize anything besides a desperate whisper of her name.

Sydney smiled in triumph, "Are you learning your lesson?" she asked.

Vaughn nodded and let out a breathy, "Yes."

"Good," Sydney said, gripping the elastic and pulling it down his legs. She still managed to take the fabric off of him in the slowest manner possible, but at least it was progress.

He knew better to ask about the boxers, completely at her mercy as to the timetable of their removal.

She looked up at him, knowing that the last article was the one that he needed removed most. She wasn't done teasing him yet however, and left his boxers on for the moment, moving back up to his chest. He couldn't hold in the hiss of her name as she left his erection trapped in his boxers. She smiled against his skin as she devoured his nipples again, letting that one slide without further punishment.

"You want me to take the boxers off Vaughn?" she asked innocently.

"Please…please Syd…" he gave in, begging her.

She smiled again, "I will…but you have to meet another demand…"

"God…anything…please…" he said, his voice barely above a murmur.

"You can't come until I tell you to. If you do, there'll be more demands…and…" she waited for him to look up at her. Once his eyes leveled on hers, she said, "You have to talk dirty to me before I'll let you out…of these," she said, punctuating with a sharp grip on his boxered-cock.

His smoky eyes met hers in question, "Dirty?"

"Yes…dirty…I'm demanding that you talk dirty to me…"

"How dirty am I supposed to get?" he asked, out of breath already.

She smiled evilly, "Tell me how badly you want these boxers off…"

"Syd…please…"

"How badly?"

"VERY badly."

"That's not dirty enough…why do you want them off?"

"I want to be inside you…"

"And…"

"And I can't as easily with the boxers on…"

"Vaughn…"

"Yeah," he said looking up at her.

"Dirty…"

"Syd…" he moaned, but she could tell by the throaty tone in his voice that he was rapidly losing all composure he had left.

"Dirty…"

"Syd…I need to be inside you…please…the boxers…" he looked up at her and her expression was determined. She wasn't going to proceed until he met her demand, "I need them off…because I want to feel your muscles squeezing around me."

"Better…keep going."

"I want them off…so I can…" he looked up at her.

"So you can what…"

"So I can…penetrate you…"

"Yeah…with what?" she asked with a wicked smile, "Say it…"

"With my cock."

"Good…what else…"

"Syd…I'm so hard…please…"

"Tell me more…how do you want me to take them off?"

He groaned throatily, a growl mixed in, "I just want them off…"

"How?" Sydney said in a patient tone, "With my hands? Teeth? Tongue?" she asked with another raised brow.

"UHN…ALL the above…" he said with an anticipatory grin.

Sydney started down his chest, wriggling her ass over his massively tented boxers. Her fingers trailed lightly over his chest, making the muscles flex with her touch. Once she had wriggled her way down, she made sure her legs were on the outside of his, holding his in place, in case he got any ideas of taking control.

Her hands roamed above the elastic band of his boxers, toying with the material and playfully snaking her hand inside the opening in the front. His hips pushed up, but with her legs holding his in place, he couldn't go very far.

"This is the one time you get to make the choices…" she said, making sure her comments were registering, "However, I'm demanding that you tell me…so I, and only I am still in charge. Got it?"

He nodded heavily; much more interested in what she was going to allow him to do.

"Which method first? Hands…teeth…tongue…another alternative?"

"Mouth…" he said in a raspy voice that didn't sound like his own.

She smiled and ran her lips up the tent in his boxers; her mouth making it's way to the line where the boxers met the skin. She used her lips to kiss all along the line on the front of his lower abdomen, before she smiled when he said, "Tongue…"

Her tongue darted out immediately, licking the skin she'd just kissed before her tongue made its way under the waistband, trailing a wet path all along the fabric.

"Hands…" he said impatiently, his voice cracking slightly from the prolonged teasing.

"A little antsy…aren't we?" she asked, giggling as she moved her hands to the waistband and snapped it against his skin like she had earlier.

He responded with a small thrust and a gravelly moan, but he was too lost in sensation to offer anything of substance vocally.

"All of them…" he said, finally finding his voice as she ran her fingers around his hips.

"All?" she said with a lusty grin.

"All…hands, mouth, tongue…all…please take them off…"

Sydney chuckled and went to work, deciding he'd been punished enough and still working slowly, peeled the boxers down. His cock sprang out, slapping against his stomach as it was finally freed from its confined space. She used her mouth to nuzzle all around his cock and balls, but she deliberately left that integral area without any stimulation. Her tongue licked at the 'V' that led the way to his cock, but again, she pulled away, leaving him moaning and growling at her in frustration once again. She worked the material down his legs and finally left him free of the cotton prison.

"Syd…God…please…now…I need to be in you now…I'm so close…I'm gonna come…"

She smiled and crawled back on the bed, planting her legs on the outside of his again, "I didn't say you could come yet…if you come…you'll be sorry…"

"UH! COME ON!"

Sydney giggled, "Try me…see how you like it."

"OK! OK! I GET IT!" he yelled, "YOU WIN! PLEASE!"

Sydney smiled and sat down on his lap, trapping his cock beneath her. The moan he let out was enough indication that was completely serious about the coming issue.

"You'll get to come honey…but not yet…not yet," she said distinctly.


	32. Chapter 227: The Fine Art of Erotic Talk

**Chapter 227: The Fine Art of Erotic Talk**

Help me  
I broke apart my insides  
Help me  
I've got no soul to sell  
Help me  
The only thing that works for me  
Help me get away from myself

I want to fuck you like an animal  
I want to feel you from the inside  
I want to fuck you like an animal  
My whole existence is flawed  
You get me closer to god

You can have my isolation  
You can have the hate that it brings  
You can have my absence of faith  
You can have my everything

Help me  
Tear down my reason  
Help me  
It's your sex I can smell  
Help me  
You make me perfect  
Help me become somebody else

I want to fuck you like an animal  
I want to feel you from the inside  
I want to fuck you like an animal  
My whole existence is flawed  
You get me closer to god

* * *

He shook his head from side to side on the pillow, letting out a long string of connected moans, "Where you're sitting isn't helping…"

She smiled, "Then we have to figure out a way to calm you down before you can meet the rest of my demands."

"Oh God…please…Sydney…please…"

"No," she said simply, squirming on him to make him moan even more. "What should we talk about…hmm…"

"Syd…whatever you talk about…you're naked and wet and I'm naked and hard…it's not gonna make much difference."

"Mmm…this will…" she said with a knowing smirk, "I wonder how your mom's lunch went with your aunt?"

Vaughn's eyes fixed on hers, "K…yeah, you're right…that worked," he said nodding.

Sydney chuckled, pushing herself to sit up on him, her hands sprawled out on his chest, "Knew it would…should we talk some more about your family or do you think you've settled down now?"

Vaughn threw her a disapproving glance, "Yeah, I think that was the trick," he nodded again.

She gave him a nod and reached down, grabbing his cock in her hand. Although his immediate need had abated, he was still quite hard, and the moment Sydney's hand gripped him, he moaned, his erection rising to full force once again.

She pulled herself up and placed him at her waiting folds. With once final glace at him, she helped him inside, swallowing his erection in her warmth. His hips thrust upward into her, desperate with insane need after waiting for so long.

"Uhn…shit Syd…I'm gonna come," he said in a guttural moan.

"No, you're not," she told him firmly, "You're not gonna come until I say you can…"

"Syd," he whined.

"No…I'm not done with my demands…"

"Your demands are gonna be the death of me."

"You'll live Vaughn," she said confidently, "You might be frustrated, but you'll live."

He attempted a smile, "Just don't move then…cause if you move, I'm gonna come."

She chuckled, "Ok, we'll wait for a few minutes, let you relax."

She smiled down at him, loving the look on his face. His eyes were closed and he was trying to regulate his breathing. His features were all scrunched like he was concentrating really hard on something. She tried to suppress the giggle that was threatening to erupt at his obvious struggle, knowing that the vibrations and movement would only add to their waiting time.

Eventually, his features stilled enough that she thought they could continue. She looked down, waiting for his eyes to open, and when they did she smiled, "You ready to finish up my demands?"

"Yeah," he said quietly.

"Good…I demand that you tell me what it feels like to be inside me."

She swore she could feel him swell even more at the utterance of her words. He groaned and thrust up into her; she responded in kind by pushing back down on him. "Tell me Vaughn…" she breathed.

His eyes were closed again, concentrating on her surrounding him. Her face was pressed close, waiting for him to start.

"Uh God…Syd…I can't…"

"You can and you will…tell me now Michael…"

The sound of his first name sent him into another fit of moaning, his cock throbbing painfully inside Sydney, composure made all the more difficult with her squeezing him.

"It feels so good…to push in you…liquid warmth…that's what it's like…like my dick's on fire inside you…wet…sliding in and out. When you squeeze, it's like every cell in my body is concentrated on my cock. It's like you can milk it out of me."

Sydney squeezed him powerfully, his head pressing back into the pillow.

"What…else…" she said, fluttering her muscles over him as she pulled off and slammed back down.

He grunted, bringing his hand up to hang onto her hip and pull her forward, "So hot…so tight around me…pressing against your walls…rippling around me…pressing deep inside…so deep…that I can't go any further…bumping into your womb…"

"Mmm…good baby, you're there…you feel it?"

"Yeah, I can feel it," he grunted, bumping repeatedly into her cervix and past.

"Tell me what it feels like when you come…"

"Uh…I'm gonna soon Syd…"

"Tell me what it feels like…don't come…not yet."

"It's like…my whole body explodes and empties inside you…"

"Yeah…that's what happens?"

"That's what it feels like…"

She smiled, "What happens, tell me what happens…what's happening to you now?" she asked, bouncing gently and insistently on his cock.

"All the build-up…it's getting closer…I'm not gonna be able to stop it pretty soon…"

"What's happening, tell me…"

"Cock feels bigger, making you stretch, you keep…squeezing…" he closed his eyes as she deliberately did it again, her fingers kneading his chest, flicking his nipples.

"Keep telling me…"

"Uhn…my muscles start to tighten…blood starts rushing…sometimes I swear I can hear it in my ears…" he said, pushing his hips upward, sending him further into her.

"What else?"

"My balls get heavy…they raise up…start to throb…everything throbs…so hot…"

"Where does it start?"

"What?"

"Your orgasm."

"It starts all over…sometimes, I start to feel it in my stomach, like this ache…I know it's coming…other times it feels like it's stemming from my balls or my cock."

"Yeah, where is it today?"

"I don't think I could tell you anymore, I've been stimulated for like hours."

She smiled, "You complaining?"

"Not so much right now," he said thrusting again, "Are you gonna let me come soon? Cause my balls feel like they're gonna implode right now…I really need to come…"

"Mmm…well…" she debated, keeping up her motions on him, squeezing him rhythmically and rolling her hips so that he rubbed against her clit.

"Please Syd…I need to come…I can't stop it anymore…"

She smiled, "Wait for me…then you come…"

He nodded, moving his hand from her hip to her clit and pulling on the nub, rolling it between his fingers as her head rolled back and her movements became more frantic, more hurried.

She cried out as her own climax tore through her, Vaughn's fingers on her clit setting her off. She gripped him, holding him in her for a moment before she let go and looked down at him, "Now Vaughn! Come!"

He didn't need to be told twice. He let go and arched into her shuddering and fluttering channel, his more than ready balls emptying and spilling a massive amount of liquid violently inside her.

His face was a mask of pleasure mixed with exertion as his body tried to compensate for all the stimulation. She swore she could feel every vein, every twitch that his cock made as it released in her. His forehead was matted with a sheen of sweat, his body shaking from the force of his climax.

She stayed atop him, slowly moving, bringing him down slowly with her as she came back down herself, watching as the emotion and relief of his orgasm washed over him.

His cock continued to twitch deep in her, aftershocks racking through him for what seemed like hours. His eyes were closed as he continued to be racked with smaller tremors, his back and neck arching with every tiny post-orgasmic jerk. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked completely exhausted.

She had to chuckle, "Were my demands too much for you?"

"Your demands were by no means too much. However, I will say that they require a certain…knack for holding on…and I'm very tired at the moment. I'm very…spent…"

"Well, you were very virile…your staying power impressed me greatly," she said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"And you did most of that without oxygen…even more impressive."

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah I did…"

Sydney giggled as she finally replaced his oxygen, "We broke the bed…"

Vaughn chuckled with her, "YOU broke the bed…"

"You'll help take credit so you can brag to Will and Tom."

"True…" Vaughn said with a smile, pulling her down to kiss him…


	33. Chapter 228: Pizza Pizzazz

**Chapter 228: Pizza Pizzazz**

"We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police." – Jeff Arder

"You can observe a lot just by watching." – Yogi Berra

"Because the women are watching…" – T. E. Lawrence

* * *

Sydney smiled down at him after they broke the kiss, "You should rest before Will and Francie get here for dinner."

"Ok," he said yawning, "Might not be a bad idea."

"Take a nap," Sydney said, kissing him one more time before she eased off of him, their mixed fluids slowly running out of her. "We should clean you up quick, before you nap."

Vaughn nodded and dozed while Sydney cleaned the evidence of their lovemaking away. She smiled as she cleaned him, wondering if she should have made the poor man wait that long, but he seemed happy and sated. He was sleeping soundly as she walked back to the bathroom, feeling him still coating her inside, leaking out onto her thighs. She stepped under the warm spray of the shower to rinse off, a part of her wanting to just keep him inside, keep his fluid from running out, keep him where it was safe.

She stepped out of the shower and redressed, looking in on him to make sure he hadn't died from their sexual encounter.

She smiled as she looked down at his passed out form on the bed, giggling at his flushed and drained appearance. She walked quietly out into the hall, in search of her discarded clothes from before. She passed the kitchen and the living room on her way to the den where she left her clothes and started back to the bedroom, wondering when Francie and Will would arrive home.

Some movement caught her eye as she passed the living room again. She stopped, and glanced around the room, but didn't see anyone there. She took a tentative step towards the couch, and had to cover her mouth before the giggle escaped. She bolted from the living room and bounded down the hall back to the bedroom, her footsteps falling loudly on the hardwood floors.

Vaughn was jerked out of his nap by the sound of the bedroom door shutting as Sydney collapsed into giggles, her back resting on the door.

He looked over at her groggily, "Syd?"

She waved her hand and dissolved into giggles again, "Sorry…didn't mean," giggles "to wake you…"

"What's going on?"

"Vaughn," snort "I went out to get my clothes," she said, trying to stop her tears from falling, "and I passed the couch…it seems that Will and Francie came home while I was in the shower and decided to start a lil bit of couple time on the couch…" She giggled again, "And I pretty much walked in on them, and if they didn't know I was there before, I'm sure when I giggled and ran off and slammed the door, they do now."

Vaughn chuckled, "Go Will…they're trying to catch up," he said with a wink.

Sydney laughed out loud again, fresh tears springing as she shook her head, "You think I should go out there again? Or wait awhile?"

Vaughn laughed, "Well…how into it were they?"

"Well I didn't stay to check logistics!"

"Well how many bases did my man Will get covered would you say?"

Sydney snorted again with laughter; "I'd say Will got to second base from what I could see…rounding to third."

Vaughn grinned at her, "Well, I think we beat them today anyway…I'll be sure now to tell him we broke the bed."

Sydney smiled and leaned down to kiss him, "You do that honey."

There was a knock on the door and Sydney started to giggle again when she went to open it. When she saw Will standing on the other side, her fit of giggles started again.

"Yeah, yeah…you were REAL subtle Syd."

"I'm sorry…" she said, shaking her head and going back to sit on the bed with Vaughn, helping him sit up.

"We came in when you were in the shower. We were gonna wait…I guess we got a little carried away, didn't hear the shower turn off."

Sydney giggled, "Glad you were so into it."

Will smiled, "Yeah…well…"

Vaughn couldn't resist, "So…did you manage to take care of that some other time today? Freezer? Pantry?"

Will shook his head, "You're bad…and for your information, no."

"Aww, that's too bad, I was rooting for ya…"

Sydney snickered.

"Hey…watch it missy!" Will said with a teasing smile.

"Well…for _your_ information Will…I made it a lil farther today."

"Oh shut up! Of course you did…what…did you break another chair?"

"Um, no…we broke the bed today."

"You broke WHAT?"

"Yeah, the bed…"

"This bed?" he said, walking closer, "Where? How? What?"

"Three very excellent questions Will," Vaughn replied with a smile.

"Oh my GOD!"

"Just the headboard, not the whole bed…we'll work on the rest of the bed later," he said with a confident grin.

"Dude…if this is the way he is when he's injured, I don't wanna know what he's like when he's not."

Will looked between the two, who were sharing a mischievous look about the possibilities yet to come. He shook his head, "Look, fine, just let me know when so I can remove the breakables and book a hotel. Ok?"

Sydney laughed, "Yeah, I'll be sure to warn you…if I know," she said with a raised brow, looking back at Vaughn who was sitting innocently on the bed, a look of knowing on his face.

"You'll never see me coming," he said with a wink.

Will shook his head and changed the subject, "Fran's trying to plan dinner. You guys have a preference?"

Sydney looked at Vaughn and then back to Will, "Whatever she feels like, or we can order something."

"Can we have pizza?" Vaughn asked suddenly.

Sydney turned to him and chuckled, "I don't see why not."

"SCORE!" Will said, running off to the kitchen, "Fran – how 'bout we order pizza?"

Francie smiled at the bright smile on her boyfriend's face, "That would be nice…I can do without cooking today."

"Great, I'll order," he said grabbing the phone and walking back to the bedroom, "K – what am I ordering on the pizza?"

"Um, nothing too spicy…" Sydney said with a thoughtful glance. She leveled her gaze on Will, "No onions."

"Aw man!"

Sydney chuckled, "Order two Will…one with all that crap you want on it and one for everyone else."

"Hey, now Fran likes all that 'crap.'"

"Well – good, then you can eat the crap pizza and Vaughn and I will eat the other non-crap pizza." She smiled at Vaughn, "The usual?"

"Yeah, that'd be good."

"K – Will – we'll have sausage and pepperoni." She looked back at Vaughn again, "And you're only getting that because you…performed well," she said with a sexy grin.

"Mmm…works for me," he said proudly, "A man's gotta eat after all that work."

"Yes honey, I know."

"Ok, I'm gonna order now before you two start it up again," Will said, walking out with the phone.

Sydney giggled as Will went back into the hall. "So, I'm never gonna see you coming huh?"

Vaughn's eye brow rose as he thought for a minute, "Honey, by the time I'm coming, you'll have noticed me."

Sydney rolled her eyes, but leaned over to kiss him, "You're so bad."

"Mmmhmm…thank you," he said happily as he accepted her kiss and deepened it, pulling her closer.

They were both lost in each other when Will popped back in the room, "DUDE! I forgot!" he said as he walked in on them. "Ok…now I know you caught Fran and I in a state of…well…yeah, but I catch you guys in it SO much more…"

Sydney giggled again as she parted from Vaughn's kiss, "Yeah…" she said looking at Will.

"Don't even try to come up with a response, we all know it's fact."

Vaughn and Sydney both nodded. "That's true," Vaughn replied.

"What did you forget?" Sydney asked.

"OH!" Will said, excited again, his eyes lighting up like a little boy, "Dude…Mike…I got ya something."

"You got me something?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah," Will said nodding, looking at Vaughn strangely.

"K…uh…thanks," Vaughn said with a lopsided grin.

Will chuckled, "No, you'll like it, but it's in the living room. I set it up before Fran and I…while you were napping and Syd was showering."

"Right," Vaughn said smiling.

"You wanna come out and see it?" Will asked.

Vaughn smiled, "Sure."

Sydney shot a glance at Will, not having any idea what the surprise was…


	34. Chapter 229: Stiff Competition

**Chapter 229: Stiff Competition**

"In accordance with our principles of free enterprise and healthy competition, I'm going to ask you two to fight to the death for it." – Monty Python

"I recently learned something quite interesting about video games. Many young people have developed incredible hand, eye, and brain coordination in playing these games. The air force believes these kids will be our outstanding pilots should they fly our jets." – Ronald Reagan

* * *

Will made a move to help, but Sydney stopped him, "He needs to…get dressed first," she said with a dimpled smile.

Will groaned, "See…you two are SO MUCH worse!" He turned and walked out, closing the door gently, "Call me when you're done…and please…just dress!"

Both Sydney and Vaughn were laughing as she fetched some clothes for him and helped him get them on. She opened the door and yelled, "Is it safe for me to come out?"

She heard Will's groan, "You're horrible!"

Sydney chuckled and peeked around the corner into the living room, "He's decent."

Will got up and followed her back to the bedroom, and waited patiently as Sydney got Vaughn to a standing position. They walked out to the living room and sat him on the couch. Sydney sat down next to him and looked to Will. Francie was smiling from the chair next to the couch.

"Ok…I was at the store the other day, and I came across this…and well…I had to get it. One, cause I love them, but I had this great idea too…"

Sydney looked intrigued, "K, so what is it."

Will smiled and went over to the TV. He grabbed something from the floor and walked it over to Vaughn. He handed it to Vaughn and then sat down on the other side of Sydney.

Vaughn looked down and then looked at Will, "Uh…we gonna play a game?"

Will beamed, "I bought an Xbox."

Vaughn's confused look turned to one of childlike glee, "You did?" he asked.

"Mmmhmm…see – ok, it's fun, but I was also thinking…you have to exercise your fingers, right, so this might help."

Sydney smiled at Will, "That's a great idea Will, very thoughtful."

Vaughn looked over at him, "Really Will…thank you."

"You're welcome. Plus, right now, I can enjoy that you'll be…under par shall we say, and I can win before you get really good and kick my ass," he said nodding.

Vaughn chuckled, "Right." He looked down at the controller and then back at Will, "So…what games did you get?" he asked with an eight-year-old's smile.

Will's smile mirrored his own, "I got _ESPN NHL Hockey, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,_ and…well I got _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ too…cause I loved the show ya know…but it's really cool too – I'll get the boxes. You can pick one out for us to play." He got up and went over to the Xbox and grabbed the boxes, bringing them back to Vaughn, "If you wanna play that is."

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah Will I wanna play."

"Ok," Will said smiling and leaned down in front of him, "K, this is the hockey one." He turned the box over, "See it's got all this stuff…it's so awesome."

Vaughn read the box, smiling, "_Authentic box scores, overlays, stats and more: To fully capture the atmosphere of an ESPN NHL broadcast. Feel the impact: The "art" of the well-executed hit is showcased with authentic animations, detailing open ice hits, checks into the boards, and even the occasional flight over the boards and onto the players' bench. Mini-games galore: Plenty of extras to keep you busy outside of the traditional game, including Mini-Rink, a fast-paced and intense two-on-two hockey experience; Pond Hockey; and enhanced skills events. Know your history: Honoring the tradition and heritage of the NHL, playable historic teams and vintage jerseys let you indulge in some the most legendary eras in the sport of hockey. Muck it up: True-to-the-game board-pinning controls give you the option to wear down opponents, fight for possession, or tie up the puck to get a whistle. Dynamic camera lets you soak up all the action up close and personal. Customized playoffs: Your team didn't make the playoffs? Don't sweat it. The customizable playoffs option gives you the opportunity to put together a playoff bracket any way you see fit. Fantasy starters: Opponents can square off with their dream teams by drafting a lineup consisting of any players in the league, thus bringing unlimited replay value to an already deep hockey experience_." He looked over at Sydney, "Will is my new hero. This ROCKS."

Will smiled proudly, "I did good on that one huh?"

"YEAH," Vaughn said smiling, handing him the box back.

"You wanna see the other ones or should we play this one first?"

"Uh, can we play this one first?" Vaughn asked with a boyish grin.

"Yeah," Will said, walking back to the TV and turning it on along with the Xbox.

"Syd?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah honey."

"Can I take this off again?" He asked gesturing to the sling.

"You've had it off a lot today," she remarked, but seeing his expression, she smiled, "Yeah, a little more shouldn't hurt. Just try not to move the shoulder too much."

"Ok," Vaughn agreed, letting her help him take it off.

Will came back to the couch and giddily grabbed the controller, and sat as close to the TV as he could get, without falling off the couch, enthralled as the images began to flash across the screen.

Sydney smiled at Will's demeanor and looked over at Vaughn. He was more controlled in his excitement, and his lack of proper mobility limited his options, but she could see the gleam, the wonder; the absolutely adorable look that came across his face when the animated players flew across the screen.

He seemed to feel her eyes on him, and turned to look at her. She smiled at him and he returned a dimpled one before he looked back to the TV.

"Ok," began, "We gotta figure out which buttons make the players do stuff, cause it's different on every game. Like that Lord of the Rings one…yeah – SO much crap for that one."

Sydney looked over at Francie who was watching as the two began to talk about moves and passing. She smiled, "This may have been a bad idea, they'll never leave this couch now…"

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah, you'll never get anymore play on this couch again."

Francie blushed, "You should talk!"

The doorbell rang and Sydney got up to answer it, a teenage pizza boy on the doorstep. "Hi," he said, "That'll be $22.49."

Sydney paid him while Francie went off to get plates and drinks. Sydney set up the pizzas on the coffee table and attempted to tell the two men who had suddenly reverted back 15 years each that the pizzas had arrived, but they were too engrossed in a heated discussion about controller buttons.

"BOYS!" She finally yelled.

Will and Vaughn looked at her, "What?" they both asked.

"Time to eat!"

"Oh," Will said, putting the controller down, "Ok, we can figure this out after."

Vaughn nodded and Sydney handed him a plate with a container of cheese sauce. "Thanks," he said smiling at her as she sat down next to him.

"Sure, I've got my ranch, I'm good."

Vaughn snickered, "You and your ranch."

"Hey, you should talk Mr. Heinz."

Vaughn chuckled, "K, fine…we both have food obsessions."

A smile continued to grow as Sydney watched Vaughn with his cheese, "Ya know…maybe I just should've had Will order a cheese pizza…"

He turned to her, "Those who mock…end up with ranch all over their clothes."

"Kinky," Sydney replied as she went back to her plate, dipping the pizza in ranch.

"You could call yours more of a salad with all that ranch," he said looking at her sideways.

Sydney giggled and turned to kiss him, "I think I might have to teach you some more manners…you've regressed from the point I had you earlier…where you'd submit to all my demands."

"Well…that was sex…this is food…it's different," he said with a sly grin.

"You're so bad."

"You both are bad," Will said, shaking his head and regarding the couple.

Sydney threw her napkin at Will who promptly and maturely stuck his tongue out at her.

After they had all filled up on pizza and the dishes and boxes had been cleared away, they all converged again on the couch.

"Ugh…I'm SO full," Sydney said, leaning close to Vaughn.

"Me too…" Francie agreed.

Vaughn smiled sympathetically at Sydney and Francie and then looked to Will, "So…you wanna play now?" he asked, reverting back to his little boy face.

Sydney groaned and looked at Francie, "See, see what your man has done. He's turned them both into gamers…GAMERS Fran."

Francie chuckled, "Well, at least they're out of trouble."

Will looked at Vaughn, ignoring the ladies' conversation, "Yeah…let's play."

He picked up his controller and Vaughn grabbed his as well, "K – I get to be the Kings!"

Will looked back, "FINE. Then I get to be Bluejackets."

Vaughn snorted, "Yeah…cause they kick ass," he said sarcastically.

"Hey…they're good…they just have…some…well they've had a bad year. They'll come through."

"They suck Will…and that's why they were named 'Wimpiest Team' by _Hockey Digest_. You picked the pansy team Will."

"Oh you're gonna pay for that," he said looking back at Vaughn who had a smug smile on his face.

"Just watch out for the boards dude…you'll get real friendly with them."

"Yeah, whatever," Will said concentrating as they picked their teams and the pseudo-game started.


	35. Chapter 230: High Sticking

**Chapter 230: High Sticking**

"How would you like a job where when you made a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?" – Jacques Plante

"Ice hockey is a form of disorderly conduct in which the score is kept." – Doug Larson

"Half the game is mental; the other half is being mental." – Jim McKenny

"By the age of 18, the average American has witnessed 200,000 acts of violence on television, most of them occurring during Game 1 of the NHL playoff series." – Steve Rushin

* * *

By the end of the second period, as intermission in the game started, Will was winning 4 to 2. He triumphantly stood up, "K…well…that went well for the Bluejackets. I need a beer," he said walking off to the kitchen.

Sydney smiled at Vaughn as he looked over at her, "You'll beat him in the next period," she said confidently. "How are you fingers?" she asked, looking down at the controller in his hands.

"They're sort of stiff…and sore," he admitted.

"You wanna keep playing or call it a night – I'm sure you can save the game."

"No, we can finish."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah," he smiled, "It'll get better…"

"Yes it will," she said, running her hand over his cheek as he looked back at the controller.

"Can I have a beer too?" he asked after another minute, looking at her with pleading eyes.

She debated a minute, looking at his expression, "Ok…but if I get you one – then you have to beat Will…cause otherwise we'll never hear the end of it."

Vaughn chuckled, "I'll try…but he's winning right now."

"You can do it – I'll start cheering, I'll be your cheering section."

"You always are Syd," he said truthfully.

She softened and leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Then she got up and went to get him a beer. She came back and handed it to him, "K, now kick his ass," she said as she sat down again.

Will looked back at her, "That's real nice Syd."

"Hey, I'm rooting for my team here."

Will looked back at Francie, "Well?"

She looked at him, "Go Will Go," she said unenthusiastically.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Anytime honey," Francie said smiling at Sydney.

As the game returned, Sydney started yelling for Vaughn to win. She started her own little cheer from the couch, laughing and clapping whenever Vaughn checked Will or scored. She shared amused looks with Francie as she pointed out how Will seemed to move his whole body as he moved the controller as if that would help the player go where he wanted him to. Vaughn was controlled as always, animated inside, but cool on the outside. She enjoyed watching this competitive side however, remembering times before when she'd gone to his hockey practices and games. She was always amazed at his ability, at his seemingly effortless skill as he flew across the icy surface. She remembered spending a lot of time on her feet in the stands as she got into the games, yelling when he was checked and cheering when he scored and assisted. There was something innately sensual and sexy about the sport, about watching him in a violent display. It was controlled enough not to be vulgar and uncontrolled enough to be arousing. And then, of course, there was the Zamboni, which just made her insanely happy.

With only seconds left, Vaughn scored. Sydney jumped off the couch and screamed, "SCORE!!!!"

Vaughn laughed at Sydney's display, "I tied him honey…I didn't win."

"But you didn't lose either!" she yelled, ruffling Will's hair and then turning back to Vaughn to give him what she called a 'victory kiss.'

When they parted and looked back at the screen, the imaginary players were skating off the ice and the Zamboni was sliding across in their stead. "Zamboni!" Sydney squealed.

Will looked over at Vaughn, "Well…you're injured…and you still tied me."

"Yeah I guess I haven't lost my touch too much…you were good."

Will smiled, "Really?"

"Yeah, very persistent."

"Thanks," Will beamed, "Well then we have to play a lot right now, before you get your dexterity fully back, then I'm toast every time."

"Only on real ice," Vaughn said winking.

Will smiled, "You wanna play another game?"

"I'd like to, but I think my fingers would revolt. They're not used to that much exercise."

"Of course," Will said, "You had fun though?"

"Yeah Will, it was great," Vaughn said nodding.

"Good," Will replied, smiling.

"That was a good game…good beer too," he said grinning.

Sydney smirked at him, "I'm glad honey…we should get you back to bed, get you settled, it's late."

"Ok," he said accepting her hand as she helped him stand.

"You need help?" Will asked.

"No, I think we've got it Will," Sydney said smiling as she and Vaughn began to walk back to the bedroom.

She closed the door on their way in and sat him down, starting to remove his clothes and retrieving pajamas for him to wear.

As she began to dress him, she noticed he seemed lost in thought. "What'cha thinkin' about?" she asked as she took his left arm and put it safely back in the sling.

He smiled at her as she adjusted the sling on his shoulder so it wouldn't rub. "The game just made me think about hockey."

"Yeah," she said, leaving it open-ended.

"I miss hockey."

Sydney smiled in understanding, standing to get her own pajamas, and kissing him on the forehead, "I know honey...soon."

He sighed heavily, "Yeah…but not really…"

"What do you mean?" she asked, returning to face him as she finished with her pajamas.

"Well…even when I'm better and I'm walking around and everything, I won't be able to play."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't be able to get smashed into boards or risk falling on the ice too hard…I'll just wind up back in bed."

"Well not if you wait long enough."

"But I don't want to wait that long."

Sydney took a deep breath and squatted between his legs, "Vaughn, look…I know this is hard for you." She shook her head, "Maybe it wasn't a good idea for Will to buy that game."

"No, that's not what this is about. I mean, yes it made me think about it, but I would have eventually. I miss hockey. I miss going out on the ice. All the time I've missed now, I'll be lucky if I can still skate."

"Vaughn, that's not true. It's like riding a bike. And you're so good at it anyway, you'll get out there again and it'll be like you never left. I'm sure honey. Plus, you can hone all your skills with the game. It'll keep you on your toes."

He looked at her, "Syd…k, let's be realistic here. I've spent, so far, a total of," he counted, "nine, count them NINE weeks including this week doing no physical activity. I'm so out of shape now it's gonna take me years to make that up. I mean, think about work. It's gonna take forever just to be field rated, much less hockey trained."

"Vaughn," Sydney said, with a raised brow, "I don't think you're as out of shape as you think you are. You keep up very well…"

"Syd…" he said, trying to word his speech carefully, "Sex is one thing, and even that – you're on top."

"You get exercise Vaughn every time you sit up or walk."

"I know, but look at how much trouble that gives me."

"Vaughn, listen," she said smiling, taking his hand in hers, "Look how far you've come in these last few weeks. You started off with like no mobility, you didn't move at all. And yeah, you had some setbacks, but you've bounced back from those. In six weeks, you've accomplished a whole helluva lot. And keep in mind; at the start of all of this, you were looking at fourteen weeks to be fully recovered. It's only week six…six out of fourteen. You've got a long way to go, and a lot more you're gonna accomplish. You gotta take it slow, or you'll only make it last longer. Maybe…maybe in a few weeks we can think about getting a physical therapist to come out here." She stopped, looking up at him and waiting for a response.

She smiled when she saw the smirk on his face, "What?"

"You just…amaze me."

Her smile widened, "Why?"

"Because…you always put things in perspective."

"Well that's my job, and you're a naturally determined person who likes to think ahead…and you always did the same for me – making me realize that I had to slow down and take it as it came…so, I'm just returning the favor."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Try not to be too hard on yourself. It'll be a fight back, but that's what we do best. And I'll be there every step of the way to help. Ok?"

He smiled, "I know." He brought his hand up to her cheek, "I love you."

"I love you," she said, rising and kissing him. She backed off and helped him move back on the bed, "See – now look…how long were you out on the couch?"

"A few hours I guess?"

"Right…and that whole time – I forgot your oxygen and you were fine. Even after all the demands you fulfilled today."

Vaughn smiled, "But I wasn't doing anything strenuous on the couch."

"Playing hockey in any form Vaughn, is strenuous." She walked to the bathroom and returned with her toothbrush in her mouth, handing him his. After helping him brush, she came back and turned off all the lights, save one, and got into bed with him. As she snuggled closer, she looked up at him, "Give yourself some credit. You've made it so far honey. I'm so proud of you."

"Well…without you I woulda never made it out of the hospital. You should take a lot of that credit."

"Vaughn, I was only there to help. YOU, YOU did the work."

He smiled at her and took a deep breath, "Thank you."

"Thank you…"

"For what?"

"For being you. For not giving up. For pushing yourself. For letting me help. For loving me."

He looked down at her with a complete look of admiration and love. He pulled her up and kissed her, their mouths molding like they had thousands of times before, but this was different, deeper. Their lips met slowly and softly, as though they had never tasted each other before. Lips gave way to tongues as they gently delved into each other's mouths. They breathed the same breath, synchronized like so many other things they shared. Body and soul as one with one simple, languid kiss. The earth had stopped turning, time stood still, oceans stopped churning. All that remained were these two, in this place, in this moment. Sleep seemed so easy after they broke the kiss; their faces pressed closely together, their slightly elevated breathing hot on each other's faces. "I love you," was the only phrase uttered…


	36. Chapter 231: Sunny Side Up

**Chapter 231: Sunny Side Up**

"I get plenty of exercise carrying the coffins of my friends who exercise." – Red Skelton

"This coffee plunges into the stomach...the mind is aroused, and ideas pour forth like the battalions of the Grand Army on the field of battle... Memories charge at full gallop...the light cavalry of comparisons deploys itself magnificently; the artillery of logic hurry in with their train of ammunition; flashes of wit pop up like sharp-shooters." – Honore de Balzac

"To will is to select a goal, determine a course of action that will bring one to that goal, and then hold to that action till the goal is reached. The key is action." – Michael Hanson

* * *

Sydney woke slowly on Tuesday morning, stretching carefully as she gazed at the hot morning sunlight coming through her sheer bedroom curtains. It was the start of another sweltering August day. She glanced over at Vaughn who was still peacefully sleeping and then at the clock. It was just after 8am. She slipped out of bed quietly and cautiously, making sure she didn't wake Vaughn.

She padded out into the kitchen and grabbed the paper as she started to make herself some coffee. As she cupped the mug and breathed in the aroma, she smirked, thinking of all the mornings that they had spent barely on time for work because they had spent too much of the early morning occupied with…other things, and of course, always had to stop for coffee.

She scanned the headlines and read about the heat wave that was currently hitting L.A. before settling on a public interest story on the community accent page. She was just about to start an article about two co-stars on a hit television show finding romance when the undeniable sound and feeling of her stomach rumbling made her mind wander in other directions.

She walked to the refrigerator and looked through the contents before pulling out the eggs and cheese and some diced ham that Francie had left from one of her famous dinners. She grabbed Vaughn's favorite breakfast side dish and started to make omelettes and bacon. Once she had it all together, she put it on the usual tray and grabbed his pill bottles and drinks for both of them. She walked in quietly, setting the tray on the floor so she could wake him.

She smiled when his nose twitched, and she swore he mumbled something about bacon in his sleep. She covered her mouth to keep the giggle from escaping and gently touched his chest. "Vaughn…"

He stirred, but he didn't wake.

She suppressed another giggle and touched him again, "Vaughn…"

Still, he didn't wake.

She looked down at the tray and picked up a piece of bacon. Giggles continued to work their way to the surface as she waved the piece of bacon under his nose. "Vaughn…bacon…"

His nose twitched again and he moved slightly, but he still seemed lost in sleep.

She was all out shaking with her giggles as she leaned closer to him, continuing to wave the bacon, "Wake-y, wake-y, eggs and bac-ey…" she said, a torrent of small squeals following.

Her brow furrowed when he still slept.

Finally, she shrugged and popped the bacon in her mouth.

"Syd?"

She snorted, "Now you wake up. After I ATE the bacon. Figures," she said shaking her head.

He looked up at her, "Bacon?"

She chuckled, "I musta really wore you out yesterday huh?"

"Yeah, I'm still tired. Did you say bacon?"

"Morning to you too honey," she said reaching down and shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"Mmm, well…what better way to say good morning than with bacon?"

"Oh, I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

He smiled, "What time is it?"

"It's 9:00. I was gonna wait and not wake you but I got hungry."

"S'ok."

"Let's sit you up," she said as she helped him sit and then placed the tray on his lap before sitting on her side of the bed.

"Omelettes?"

"Yeah, why?"

He smiled, "Nothing…"

"What?"

"More French food?"

She giggled, "I didn't even think about that…I should have had that line…"

"Beat ya to it."

"Yeah," she cut up the omelette and handed him the fork while she grabbed her cup of coffee.

She looked at him as he started to eat, "You want some coffee?"

He turned to look at her, "You're gonna let me have coffee?"

"Yeah, I think you're well enough," she said with a smile. "Want me to get you some?"

"Sure."

She set her cup on the nightstand and went off to get him a cup. She handed it to him carefully and then waited until he had it situated before she sat on the bed again.

"Damn…I missed coffee…" he said nostalgically.

She chuckled, "I'm surprised you didn't ask me earlier."

"I thought about it."

She smiled and watched him with his cup of coffee, taking a few bites of the omelettes. She grabbed his pill bottles and started to take out his pills. "You still in a lot of pain?"

"Sometimes. It wasn't as bad, but the surgery kinda brought them up again."

Sydney smiled as she opened his antibiotic bottle, showing him the inside of the bottle, "Look at that – only one day left after today."

"Cool," Vaughn said happily, accepting the array of pills. "One less…I'll take it."

"I'll bet," she said running her hand through his hair. "What do you wanna do today?"

He smiled at her, "Well…I thought we could take a run, and then I think we should drive to the beach and go for a swim. Later, possibly, we'll have sex under the boardwalk and almost get caught. We can follow that up with another row at home, maybe a shower…" he looked over at her.

She smirked, "That's quite a full day you have planned there."

"Yeah," he said looking down at the tray of breakfast food.

She thought a moment, "How about we start out with some exercises…maybe take a shower and do some work this afternoon…"

He smiled as he turned to look at her, "Yeah, we could do that."

"Soon honey…soon we'll be able to do all that stuff."

He sighed, "Yeah."

"You can play Xbox…"

He laughed, "Yeah, I can play Xbox."

"You wanna try some exercises now?"

"Sure."

"Ok, you remember how to do the crunches?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"K, we have to lay you down first."

They fell into the exercise routine he followed before; Sydney let Vaughn set the pace, and he managed to do more crunches than he had in the past. She smiled as she helped him sit back, "That was good."

He smiled back at her, proud that he had made her proud of him.

"Can we try walking…"

"Sure."

"Walking…somewhere I mean."

"Where somewhere?"

"Just walking…I want to try to walk somewhere."

She looked at him unsurely, "Um…ok…how far are we talking here?"

"Not far…I just want to see if I can walk…"

"Ok…maybe we should start out with me helping you and then…you can try by yourself?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Ok," Sydney said, moving again to help him stand, but he started to move by himself. She backed off, letting him wince through the movement until he wormed his way to the edge of the bed. She smiled at him again, "My aren't we industrious today."

He reached out his hand with a smirk and shook his head when she was going to grab onto the sling. "No," he said simply.

"Vaughn–"

"No. I want to do it."

She sighed and took his hand in hers, pulling him up and letting him do the rest. She moved closer once he was standing, ready to catch him if he would falter. He took his hand out of hers and instead put it on her shoulder for leverage. She waited for his signal to start moving and got it a few seconds later when he looked her in the eye.

He took a deep breath and nodded, "Ok."


	37. Chapter 232: A Walk to Remember

**Chapter 231: Sunny Side Up**

"I get plenty of exercise carrying the coffins of my friends who exercise." – Red Skelton

"This coffee plunges into the stomach...the mind is aroused, and ideas pour forth like the battalions of the Grand Army on the field of battle... Memories charge at full gallop...the light cavalry of comparisons deploys itself magnificently; the artillery of logic hurry in with their train of ammunition; flashes of wit pop up like sharp-shooters." – Honore de Balzac

"To will is to select a goal, determine a course of action that will bring one to that goal, and then hold to that action till the goal is reached. The key is action." – Michael Hanson

* * *

Sydney woke slowly on Tuesday morning, stretching carefully as she gazed at the hot morning sunlight coming through her sheer bedroom curtains. It was the start of another sweltering August day. She glanced over at Vaughn who was still peacefully sleeping and then at the clock. It was just after 8am. She slipped out of bed quietly and cautiously, making sure she didn't wake Vaughn.

She padded out into the kitchen and grabbed the paper as she started to make herself some coffee. As she cupped the mug and breathed in the aroma, she smirked, thinking of all the mornings that they had spent barely on time for work because they had spent too much of the early morning occupied with…other things, and of course, always had to stop for coffee.

She scanned the headlines and read about the heat wave that was currently hitting L.A. before settling on a public interest story on the community accent page. She was just about to start an article about two co-stars on a hit television show finding romance when the undeniable sound and feeling of her stomach rumbling made her mind wander in other directions.

She walked to the refrigerator and looked through the contents before pulling out the eggs and cheese and some diced ham that Francie had left from one of her famous dinners. She grabbed Vaughn's favorite breakfast side dish and started to make omelettes and bacon. Once she had it all together, she put it on the usual tray and grabbed his pill bottles and drinks for both of them. She walked in quietly, setting the tray on the floor so she could wake him.

She smiled when his nose twitched, and she swore he mumbled something about bacon in his sleep. She covered her mouth to keep the giggle from escaping and gently touched his chest. "Vaughn…"

He stirred, but he didn't wake.

She suppressed another giggle and touched him again, "Vaughn…"

Still, he didn't wake.

She looked down at the tray and picked up a piece of bacon. Giggles continued to work their way to the surface as she waved the piece of bacon under his nose. "Vaughn…bacon…"

His nose twitched again and he moved slightly, but he still seemed lost in sleep.

She was all out shaking with her giggles as she leaned closer to him, continuing to wave the bacon, "Wake-y, wake-y, eggs and bac-ey…" she said, a torrent of small squeals following.

Her brow furrowed when he still slept.

Finally, she shrugged and popped the bacon in her mouth.

"Syd?"

She snorted, "Now you wake up. After I ATE the bacon. Figures," she said shaking her head.

He looked up at her, "Bacon?"

She chuckled, "I musta really wore you out yesterday huh?"

"Yeah, I'm still tired. Did you say bacon?"

"Morning to you too honey," she said reaching down and shoving a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"Mmm, well…what better way to say good morning than with bacon?"

"Oh, I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."

He smiled, "What time is it?"

"It's 9:00. I was gonna wait and not wake you but I got hungry."

"S'ok."

"Let's sit you up," she said as she helped him sit and then placed the tray on his lap before sitting on her side of the bed.

"Omelettes?"

"Yeah, why?"

He smiled, "Nothing…"

"What?"

"More French food?"

She giggled, "I didn't even think about that…I should have had that line…"

"Beat ya to it."

"Yeah," she cut up the omelette and handed him the fork while she grabbed her cup of coffee.

She looked at him as he started to eat, "You want some coffee?"

He turned to look at her, "You're gonna let me have coffee?"

"Yeah, I think you're well enough," she said with a smile. "Want me to get you some?"

"Sure."

She set her cup on the nightstand and went off to get him a cup. She handed it to him carefully and then waited until he had it situated before she sat on the bed again.

"Damn…I missed coffee…" he said nostalgically.

She chuckled, "I'm surprised you didn't ask me earlier."

"I thought about it."

She smiled and watched him with his cup of coffee, taking a few bites of the omelettes. She grabbed his pill bottles and started to take out his pills. "You still in a lot of pain?"

"Sometimes. It wasn't as bad, but the surgery kinda brought them up again."

Sydney smiled as she opened his antibiotic bottle, showing him the inside of the bottle, "Look at that – only one day left after today."

"Cool," Vaughn said happily, accepting the array of pills. "One less…I'll take it."

"I'll bet," she said running her hand through his hair. "What do you wanna do today?"

He smiled at her, "Well…I thought we could take a run, and then I think we should drive to the beach and go for a swim. Later, possibly, we'll have sex under the boardwalk and almost get caught. We can follow that up with another row at home, maybe a shower…" he looked over at her.

She smirked, "That's quite a full day you have planned there."

"Yeah," he said looking down at the tray of breakfast food.

She thought a moment, "How about we start out with some exercises…maybe take a shower and do some work this afternoon…"

He smiled as he turned to look at her, "Yeah, we could do that."

"Soon honey…soon we'll be able to do all that stuff."

He sighed, "Yeah."

"You can play Xbox…"

He laughed, "Yeah, I can play Xbox."

"You wanna try some exercises now?"

"Sure."

"Ok, you remember how to do the crunches?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"K, we have to lay you down first."

They fell into the exercise routine he followed before; Sydney let Vaughn set the pace, and he managed to do more crunches than he had in the past. She smiled as she helped him sit back, "That was good."

He smiled back at her, proud that he had made her proud of him.

"Can we try walking…"

"Sure."

"Walking…somewhere I mean."

"Where somewhere?"

"Just walking…I want to try to walk somewhere."

She looked at him unsurely, "Um…ok…how far are we talking here?"

"Not far…I just want to see if I can walk…"

"Ok…maybe we should start out with me helping you and then…you can try by yourself?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Ok," Sydney said, moving again to help him stand, but he started to move by himself. She backed off, letting him wince through the movement until he wormed his way to the edge of the bed. She smiled at him again, "My aren't we industrious today."

He reached out his hand with a smirk and shook his head when she was going to grab onto the sling. "No," he said simply.

"Vaughn–"

"No. I want to do it."

She sighed and took his hand in hers, pulling him up and letting him do the rest. She moved closer once he was standing, ready to catch him if he would falter. He took his hand out of hers and instead put it on her shoulder for leverage. She waited for his signal to start moving and got it a few seconds later when he looked her in the eye.

He took a deep breath and nodded, "Ok."


	38. Chapter 233: Mists and Fog

**Chapter 233: Mists and Fog**

"BATH, n. A kind of mystic ceremony substituted for religious worship, with what spiritual efficacy has not been determined." – Ambrose Bierce

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,  
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;  
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth  
Of sun-split clouds -- and done a hundred things  
You have not dreamed of -- Wheeled and soared and swung  
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,  
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung  
My eager craft through footless halls of air.  
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue  
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace  
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.  
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod  
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,  
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God." – "High Flight" – John Gillespie McGee, Jr.

* * *

"Ok," he said.

She grinned and intertwined her fingers with his, letting her other hand roam up and down his chest, tracing over the faint hair that dotted it. Her hand moved into the water over his abdomen and then back up his chest, trailing the warm fluid over his exposed skin. She pressed her lips to his neck as she traced around his nipples with the water.

He let out a groan as his head pushed back into her more, the rest of his body reacting similarly, pushing against her. She smiled at his reaction, dipping her hand under water again and repeating her process. She traced a lone finger up the middle of his chest, letting the nail scrape against the rosy flesh, careful to avoid any wound or bruise. He shivered as her finger traced his nipples again, letting the air cool them, making them stand out almost painfully from his body.

"Sydney…" he breathed as his eyes slipped closed.

She smiled against his cheek and pinched his right nipple. He groaned and his back arched away from her, but her hand caught his chest, getting him grounded against her in a matter of seconds. Her hand trailed a wet path back down to the water, her hand splaying and pressing against his abdomen before she went further, her fingers dancing through the water-covered hair above his cock.

His eyes were closed, his breath quickening as he anticipated where she'd go next. Sydney spent a few minutes lavishing attention around his cock, running her hand down the top of his thigh, making him shudder in excitement. When her hand finally reached his engorged and straining cock, he let out a yelp at the sensation of her warm hand grasping him underwater. Sydney pressed her other hand against his chest again in an effort to keep him from moving too far away from her.

She kept her grip on his cock steady, not moving in the slightest as she brought her other hand away from his chest and underneath his arm to give both hands access. Once she had access, she moved her other hand directly above where her other gripped his cock. She kept him trapped, his mouth slightly open as he got used to the new feeling of her completely covering his cock with her hands.

She slowly tightened her grip, both hands clenching on his cock and pulsating in rhythmic patterns.

He had been lost in bliss before, but when her hands started to twist in opposite directions, he lost all composure. A groan tore through him, making Sydney smile in victory. Small waves and ripples wove across the once calm surface of the water as she stepped up her pace and his legs started to move. She kept up her twisting motions until she knew he was getting close and then she stopped suddenly, her hands once again gripping him tightly, but not making any movements.

"Uhn…Syd…please…" he breathed.

She pressed a kiss to his temple as she watched his eyes flutter open and his mouth hanging slightly open again, harsh and short breaths making their way to the surface.

Keeping her left hand gripping the base, her right slowly started to move. Her thumb darted out and pressed into the head of his cock, pressing into the area just below the head. He pushed back against her, his groans increasing again as she brought another finger to tease him. Moisture was slowly leaking out, mingling with the water as she manipulated the swollen head. She squeezed him gently, his cock struggling to break free of her steady grip on the base, but she made sure he couldn't get away from her. Her mouth slowly started to move, kissing along his neck and behind his ear. He shuddered as he felt her tongue dart out and lick the back of his ear, maneuvering skillfully as she made him insane with sensation.

She leisurely replaced her left with her right and let her left hand meander down to caress his heavy balls, all the while keeping up her mouth ministrations. His gaze fixed hazily on her hands, forcing himself to watch as he spread his legs to give her more room and tried to keep his attention focused. She traced the outline of his sac, making him squirm at her light touch as her mouth pulled back and switched sides, lavishing attention on the other neglected area. She tested the weight next and fondled him, rolling his balls between her fingers, massaging and cupping them before she started to move again on his cock. She fisted gently at first, setting a slow tempo as he hummed, his head lolling and his body shivering in the mist of sexual ecstasy.

His eyes slipped closed again, his teeth clenching as her hands gained momentum, fisting his cock faster and harder while her other hand worked his balls, squeezing them and pressing them up into the base of his thick cock. His legs started to shake and tense, Sydney feeling his balls doing the same.

She smiled as his head pressed back even farther into her shoulder, his body losing all repose under the deft skill of her fingers and mouth. No longer was his head lolling, but purposefully setting up for what he knew was approaching. She bit down on his neck, nipping and biting him hard enough to make him moan.

She breathed against his ear, "Would you like to come Michael?"

He let out a straggled answer that was completely unintelligible before he gave up vocal recognition and nodded erratically as his hips started to jerk with her motions.

She chuckled against his skin; her hands keeping up the rhythm she knew would take him over the edge. His legs were pushing against the tub, his hands gripping the sides. She knew just a few more strokes, and he'd come. She licked one, slow, deliberate line up the side of his neck and moaned with him, telling him to come in a seductive and husky tone. "Come baby…come hard."

She bit down when she retraced the wet path her tongue had made, and his body jerked as he spilled into her hand, his orgasm washing over him in waves, sending thick spurts of semen in the water and leaving a milky residue on the surface of the churning water.

"Good Michael…"

Sydney kept her hands on him, coaxing him through as his body continued its torrent of shudders, nipping at the skin on his neck and shoulder and whispering words of encouragement as he came down.

His body finally gave out, reduced to small spasms as he slumped heavily against her, his body arching in climax, but exhausted in a sated sexual euphoria.

They both sat, breathing heavily; their gazes fixed on the milky cloud that was slowly dissipating, swirling and melding into the hazy fog of the cooling bath water.

Sydney sighed after a few moments.

Vaughn craned his neck to see her shaking her head, "What a waste…"

Vaughn's brow furrowed in confusion, "Uh…excuse me?"

Sydney sighed again, "Well…it'd be better inside me." She pressed her lips to his cheek, "Wouldn't you agree?"

Vaughn smiled, "I can make more for you later."

Sydney laughed, "I know you can."

Vaughn's smile brightened more, "Yeah…thank you…" he said craning his head again and kissing her on the lips.

"You're welcome…you deserved it…your new accomplishment…" She loosened her grip on him and gently pushed him forward, "The water's getting cold honey…let's get you cleaned up…" She reached around him to let out the water and started replacing it with hot.

Vaughn started to laugh.

"What?"

"Don't you think it's ironic that whenever we take a bath, we wind up taking like two or three?"

Sydney chuckled with him, "Are you suggesting we change our pattern?"

"Not in the least, I just think it's funny that when we get clean, we get dirty, then clean, then dirty, then clean…"

Sydney started to giggle, "That's true…"

She stopped the water and pulled him back against her.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Me neither sweetie," she replied as she grabbed the shampoo and started to wash his hair.


	39. Chapter 234: The Memory Remains

**Chapter 234: The Memory Remains**

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted;  
One need not be a house;  
The brain has corridors surpassing  
Material place." – Emily Dickinson, "Time and Eternity"

"The leaves of memory seemed to make  
A mournful rustling in the dark." – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time can not erase" – "My Immortal" – Evanescence

* * *

"We should start thinking about lunch," Sydney said as she dried Vaughn with a fluffy towel.

"We spend that much time in the tub?"

"Don't we always?" she asked with a smile, "I think our skin is just naturally adapting to the amount of water it's subjected to."

Vaughn chuckled, "Probably."

After drying him off, Sydney set to dressing wounds. She covered the newest incision over his ribs gently, pressing a soft kiss over the bandage as she finished. She smiled at him as she started to check the others that still needed dressings. "Maybe we should leave your shirt off today…let the air get on some of these…" Sydney trailed off.

Vaughn grinned at her, "You sure that's the only reason you want it off?"

Sydney chuckled, "Of course not…look though, look at this one," she said running her finger over a bumpy line, "The stitches are all dissolved, this one looks healed…"

Vaughn smiled up at her as she moved around to his back, tenderly tracing her finger over the wounds and burns, "These really are looking better honey…do they feel better?"

"Sometimes…"

She came around to look at him, "What do you think hurts?"

"Uhm…I'm not really sure…"

Sydney chuckled, "Why is that?"

"Well, I only feel it, I don't really see it…I guess it's more the whip marks…could be the burns…"

Sydney's chuckling stopped and she kneeled down in front of him, "I'm sorry honey…I guess I never realized…"

Vaughn smiled and moved his hand to put a stray lock behind her ear, "It's ok…"

"Do you want to see?"

Vaughn thought a minute, his hand dropping from her face, "Not really."

Sydney regarded him, "Ok."

"I don't think knowing what it really looks like would make it any easier…do you know what I mean?"

Sydney smiled, "Yeah, I know."

"I suppose that's selfish…you have to look at them all the time."

"There's a big difference between seeing and feeling Vaughn…you feel, I only see…I can't begin to imagine," Sydney trailed off again, shaking her head as she stood.

Vaughn looked up at her, "I think the scars will be hard enough to deal with…I really…I don't wanna see them now."

"Ok," Sydney moved around again to look at his back, determining which to leave to the air and which to bandage. As she surveyed, most of the burns looked pretty good. She knew there would be some scarring, but all in all, he seemed pretty lucky with their choice of burning tools. He'd gotten off with mostly first and second degree burns. That wasn't to say that the burns weren't painful or that the after affects of burn care were pleasant, but they'd leave less scars than the whip wounds. His back was like a patchwork of other deep chasms decussating in every direction. She had wondered on more than one occasion how many burns had actually been covered up with whip marks, their sadism knowing no mercy, simply making deeper wounds where smaller had been. Of course, that could be a mixed blessing as well, burns that were covered by whip wounds were not subject to painful blisters and abscesses. However, they were of course subject to infection, subject to the same fate that befell his now infected wound. The whip marks, at any stage, would take a long time to fully heal, and Sydney knew she was kidding herself if she believed that the manifestations of what had been done to him, marking him, was not going to leave lasting effects. Wounds of this magnitude did not heal in a matter of fourteen weeks; he'd carry these marks until they faded or until they took other measures to erase them.

It seemed though, every day they closed more, became less open, gaping wounds, and easier to handle. While at first his back had been awash in bandages, the whip marks healed better without bandaging. The only ones that had to stay bandaged after the initial first weeks were the ones that required surgical stitching. Sydney was glad that most of the whip wounds had not required the lengthy and painful stitching process. She knew their regular baths aided in the healing process; keeping the wounds clean, but also keeping them from scabbing too hard. If his whole back was covered in callous scabs, his movement would be great reduced and he had enough trouble moving as it was.

He never complained, unless the pain became unbearable, and as she looked over his wounds, really looking at them for the first time in a while, she couldn't help but wonder how many times during any given day he was in pain and just didn't say anything. She thought of all the times she'd simply moved him, being as gentle as she could, but not realizing that his whole back was probably wrenching in agony at every minute movement.

Both of her hands grazed along the rough and bumpy flesh on his back, her touch light and feathery as she danced across all the jagged wounds.

Vaughn had been mostly silent as Sydney checked over the wounds on his back. Her touch had been tender as always as she determined for him what to cover and what to leave. She seemed to be taking a longer time than usual however, and he was starting to get uncomfortable without the wrap on. Her touch became even lighter, the pads of her fingers tracing over wounds. He finally craned his neck to look back at her. Her face looked troubled, her lips pursed, her eyebrows creasing in that way he had seen so many times before.

"Syd?" he asked quietly.

Her face softened as she saw his sideways glance, "Yeah…"

"Are you ok? Almost done?"

She brought her hands to rest on his shoulders, "You lie to me don't you…" she said quietly.

He craned his neck too quickly, wincing, "What? I don't lie to you. Lie about what?" he asked, his voice rising in panic.

Sydney leaned closer, her hand dropping farther down on his chest, her body close to him but not touching. Her mouth was close to his ear, "Your back…this hurts more than you tell me…"

Vaughn sighed, relief flooding over him. He took a shaky deep breath, "What am I supposed to tell you?"

"You're supposed to tell me when you're in pain so we can do something about it. I've just realized now…looking at these…these have to hurt more than you tell me. I know you're in pain and I just…I keep going, I make you keep going, I don't even ask anymore. I take for granted the fact that you're in pain a majority of the time but are too…you don't tell me…"

"It would be silly for me to tell you every time it hurt…"

"No it wouldn't…"

"Well then I'd say I was in pain every minute, what good would that do?" He said rashly, regretting his words the minute they hit the cooling bathroom air.

Sydney moved to face him, kneeling down, "Every minute?" she asked fearfully.

Vaughn smiled softly, "Syd…" he shook his head, "There's no way you can make this pain-free for me. You have no control over that…"

Sydney looked down and when she looked back up at him, there were tears in her eyes, "Even…_every_ minute?"

Vaughn knew what she meant, "Syd…if we both spent every minute worrying if I was in pain, we'd never get anything done. They're gonna hurt, I'm gonna hurt…the fact that we just keep going, THAT keeps me going. If I just lay there all day in pain, thinking about it, I'd go insane. Even if it's there, it's in the background, you push it back…"

"But every minute? Do we hurt you? Does it hurt you when we move to the couch? When we sit you up? When we make love?"

"Pain medication doesn't make it go away Sydney…it only lessens, there's no miracle cure…"

"Even when we make love?"

He sighed, "Syd, I don't feel anything else but you…and love when we do that…I'm only at peace with you…you keep me sane…you bring me out of the pain…you…you do that…YOU Sydney." He stopped and lifted her chin to look at him, "Do you understand? It doesn't matter if I'm in pain, the only reason I'm not lost in it is because I lose myself in you instead."

Tears flowed freely as she got up, straddling his legs and grasping desperately as the air left both of their lungs in a searing kiss. Sydney's tongue pushed into Vaughn's waiting mouth, eagerly receiving what she was offering. Their tongues caressed and embraced, mouths molding and conforming as the breath between them became one, breathing each other and nothing else. Air did not exist; it was not required in their kiss, only each other. Sydney's hand curled around Vaughn's head her fingers running through and gripping the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. Vaughn's hand roamed up and down her bare back, pulling her close to him and hanging on for life itself. Sydney's other hand wrapped around his head; ran up his hair, down his back, before it joined its mate at the nape.

When they parted, their foreheads resting like so many other countless kisses, Vaughn breathlessly choked out, "Syd…can we…do this on the bed…really…wrap would be good…getting…hard to sit…"

Sydney flew away from him in a panic, grabbed the wrap and carefully started to wrap his ribs, checking his back one more time to make sure that the wounds would be ok.

Vaughn tried to pick up what Sydney was mumbling about, catching, "thankfully a breathable wrap," "idiot," "made him sit that long," "should know better," and "what were you thinking," in between her elevated and angry breathing.

When she was done, she worriedly came back to face him.

She was about to say something, but he grabbed her hand and she knew she should wait, "Syd…stop…you do everything…everything…it's ok…"

She shook her head, "No, I don't think it's ok when you live in constant pain and when I'm too scatterbrained to remember basic things you need."

"Syd…pain…" he sighed, "You can't make it go away, I can't either. It just is. It's there…I deal…and you – you never forget anything. It's only natural to settle into a pattern and then forget something small for a second."

"But this wasn't small Vaughn. You're ability to breathe and function and sit is not 'small.'"

"Syd…"

"How many other 'small' things have I forgotten? How many will I forget?"

"Syd…"

"It's just one 'small' thing that could wind up like, I don't know, killing you!"

"Sydney…stop," he said patiently, grabbing her hand again, "You're not gonna kill me. You're blowing this way out of proportion. You do a great job. You take great care of me. You have nothing to worry about and nothing to feel guilty about."

"Every time we do something Vaughn, you hurt. I feel guilty," she stated.

"But there's nothing you can do about that that you don't already do…I don't know what else I can say to you to make you understand. I'd be completely lost without you…I'd be tucked away somewhere in constant pain. I don't even think about the pain when I'm with you. Not on a regular basis. When it gets bad – you know – I tell you…there's nothing more to say."


	40. Chapter 235: Touched By An Angel

**Chapter 235: Touched By An Angel**

"When making love becomes a sacrament…we are in Heaven." – Sharon Warren

"I love to touch you / I touch to love you." – Sharon Warren

"All of you, want to be loved...needed by someone, so we look to others...By ourselves, we are lonely, so we try to draw together to live...That's what it means to be human...That's how people live. A single hand cannot clap." – Elly Van Houten

* * *

Sydney smiled softly at him, her tears dissipating at his words. He reached up and wiped the remaining ones off of her cheek as she took his hand and pulled gently, helping him stand. They wordlessly began to walk back to the bedroom, Sydney's hands around Vaughn's waist while his coiled around hers. They walked closer than normal, space, air, not an issue between them on this trip. Sydney turned and sat Vaughn on the bed, helping him move carefully back to recline against the headboard.

"Does that hurt your back?" Sydney asked softly, her hand lingering on his chest.

Vaughn shook his head and grabbed the hand on his chest, pulling her down on the bed, "I need you," he said quietly.

"You need to rest," Sydney answered, shaking her head, "I don't think…" she trailed off.

Vaughn pulled on her hand until she was looking at him again, "Did you hear what I told you before?"

Sydney just looked at him.

"I need you…you take it away…I need you," he repeated, knowing that sometimes, even now, she needed him as much as he needed her.

Sydney's resolve broke instantly, the quiet, almost pleading tone in his voice bringing her out of her reverie. She spent another minute just looking at him, watching his eyes, and found nothing but truth in them. Slowly, she changed her position and slowly moved to kiss him. She was gentler, more cautious in her touch, more aware and less demanding than he had remembered her being in the past.

He knew it would take her a while again to get back to the level where she would feel comfortable pushing him to do things, but he'd give her the time.

Their kissing started slowly, mimicking the way it had been in the bathroom, two souls searching for completeness in another willing source. It was always amazing to him how this one person could so completely make him whole, make him feel like he mattered, make him feel like he had a purpose, a place, a home.

As their kisses deepened, Vaughn pulled on Sydney's hand again, making her lean on his chest. She abruptly pulled back, breaking their kiss, leaving Vaughn looking up at her with a bewildered visage.

"We have to be careful," Sydney said quietly, shaking her head.

Vaughn shook his in reply, "Come here," he said in the same quiet tone, but with confidence. He pulled insistently on her hand again. She resisted until he pulled harder, making her lean on him. "See…I'm fine."

She looked up at him, waiting for a familiar sign of pain, but she truthfully couldn't see one.

He smiled softly, and pleaded with her eyes, "Lay on me…"

She obliged, cautiously laying her smaller form on top of him, lining up with his body. She propped herself up on her arms so that all her weight was not resting on him.

"Syd…we've done this plenty of times since I've been here…it's not hurting me…"

She seemed to relax, and slowly lowered herself down, so her head was on his chest. They lay in silence for a while, Vaughn's hand rubbing up and down her back, her breathing settling. Her arms moved to encircle his midsection, her grip light yet forceful. She asked from her perch on his chest, "Are you sure we don't hurt you?"

"You keep me going…making love to you…I've told you before…it's where I feel safe…" he paused, "Where do you feel safe?"

She picked her head up off of his chest and looked at him, her eyes sparkling; her smile not able to be held in any longer, "I feel safe wherever you are…"

He smiled, "I do too…but…is there something that makes you feel…absolutely secure…like nothing could touch you…where you don't fear anything…like it is for me when I'm inside you?"

She ran her finger down his cheek, "Anytime I'm in your arms I'm safe…"

"Does making love help you too?"

She grinned, "Yeah honey…there's nothing closer than when we make love…it's the ultimate security."

"You're not just saying that…"

"No Vaughn, I'm not just saying it. It's a safe zone for me too…you being inside me is…refuge…" she said with a sigh, "The ultimate act of guardian angels…" she added with a smirk that was playful yet serious.

Vaughn smiled, "There won't ever be another angel for me…"

"Ditto," she said, pressing a kiss softly to his lips.

She leaned into him gently, keeping as much of her weight off of him as she could, but she was more responsive to this round of kissing. She kept things passionate, yet light, one of her hands moving to gently lie on his chest, the other still propping her up. Eventually, she had to give into gravity, letting her bodyweight rest on him, her other hand roaming to grip his head, run her fingers through his hair as their mouths molded to one another. She rested her forehead against his breathlessly.

He looked up into her eyes, seeing himself looking back, "I need to be inside you…"

Although she regarded him still with an unsure look in her eyes, she would never deny him the thing he needed most. She watched him closely as she rose to sit on his lap, his legs moving up and out to support her, his hand gripping her hip. She took her eyes off of his for a moment to place his straining erection at her entrance and then as she started to sheathe him inside, her hand left his cock, and went back to his chest, her eyes once again fixed on his.

He watched as he slipped into her, her wetness coating him, sucking him inside the warmth, the sanctuary that Sydney always provided. He watched until his whole length was buried inside, and then he slowly brought his gaze up her body, her tight abs, her full breasts; rosy nipples jutting out like pebbles in the cooling air. His eyes wandered over the silky chestnut locks that lay on her soft, bare shoulders, the way the veins jutted out in spots over her graceful and elegant neck. Her perfect, softly peaked chin, her jaw set in a determined manner. Her mouth hung slightly agape, her breath coming out in harsh little pants, the faintest trace of an "O" forming on her down thrusts. Her cheekbones regally reflecting a glow back at him in waves. Her nostrils were flaring slightly as her breathing became more ragged, and then he met her eyes…the eyes that were trained on his, watching him, devouring him, waiting for the moment when the truth would be laid bare. She was waiting for a sign, intently watching every ripple of his muscles, every twitch of his features.

He could tell she was holding back, was waiting to stop her actions, ready to cut him off if something was harming him. He could see her fear, her unnecessary guilt, her uncertainty, her overwhelming love…he could see she was lost, but he didn't have the words to help her find her way back. He settled for the eye contact, willing every bit of himself to pour out through his emerald pools, telling her he was all right, that what they were doing was not hurting him, that she was safe, she could let go.

She could see the raw emotion in his eyes, the understanding, the adoration, the willingness to help her. As she moved on him, feeling him fill her, throbbing inside her, asking her to trust him, she wanted nothing more than to do just that, to forget everything else and tumble into him for comfort. But a nagging in the back of her head kept saying she had to be the strong one, had to make sure he was ok, had to make him comfortable, had to worry about herself later. In his eyes she saw everything that she wanted, her soul reflected back at her through those jade orbs. There was no blame, no pretension, no lies, only truth, only love, only what he needed most; her. Her eyes left his momentarily, scared, thinking about all the mistakes she had made, all the setbacks he'd had, all the ways that it was her fault. He had been taken because of her, he'd been hurt because of her, and while she knew she saw none of those things in his eyes, she couldn't make her feelings of fault go away.

He noticed her break the eye contact, her eyes going cloudy, taking on a different hue than the loving and inviting form they had earlier. There was something beneath that, under that, that threatened to break forth, threatened to make her question herself and her actions. It seemed not the time for words, only actions, and he wanted her to be able to take the same comfort from him that he took from her time and time again. He tried to make her look at him, calling her name softly to pull her back, but she had drifted somewhere else, still performing the necessary actions and movements for him; her body willing to help, but her mind shut off. She leaned over, deliberately not looking into his questioning eyes, and leaned her cheek against his as her mouth made its way to his neck. Instinct told her he was getting closer, his body tensing and readying for release. She sucked on his jugular, her tongue roving along the vein, nipping as she went back towards his ear, sucking on the spot behind it that made him shudder in titillation.

While Sydney's body and mouth were certainly doing wonderful things to make him move steadily closer to orgasm, he knew that something was definitely off with her. Their eyes had spoke volumes where no verbal words were spoken, and he knew that there were lingering thoughts and doubts plaguing her during their most intimate of dances. He knew if he didn't stop her soon, he'd come and she was nowhere near that same precipice. He tried to move his neck away from her, but she sought out his neck where he moved. His speaking skills at the moment were at a minimum as well and he tried to gently push her back. She seemed not to notice or determined to make him come without her.

He managed to get her name out in between throaty gasps, but she kept her mouth firmly attached to his neck. Her hips moved faster on him, undulating over his turgid cock, seeking to help him release, knowing that it was only a matter of a few more well-balanced and well-placed thrusts from him and squeezes with her muscles.

He thrust his hips forward, sending him crashing into her, and he held his hips in an attempt to make her stop.

She tried to keep going, but it was less possible with his hips raised at the odd angle off the bed.

He could feel the moisture on his neck, on his shoulder, and the heaves that were emanating from her were not from sexual exertion.

"Syd…" he said quietly, bringing his hips down and pulling her closer as his hand moved to the small of her back.

She was sobbing against him, her tears falling rapidly down their naked skin, wetting the pillows and sheets beneath them. Her body was shaking, he still buried inside her.


	41. Chapter 236: Glass

**Chapter 236: Glass**

In the arms of the angel  
Far away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line  
And everywhere you turn  
There's vultures and thieves at your back  
And the storm keeps on twisting  
You keep on building the lies  
That you make up for all that you lack  
It don't make no difference  
Escaping one last time  
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness  
Oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

In the arms of the angel  
Far away from here  
From this dark cold hotel room  
And the endlessness that you fear  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
Of your silent reverie  
You're in the arms of the angel  
May you find some comfort here" – "Angel" – Sarah McLachlan

"Some think it's holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it's letting go." – Sylvia Robinson

* * *

"Syd?" he said, trying to move to look at her, but she just burrowed farther into his neck. He managed to get them lying down more prostrate on the bed and tried again to get her to look at him. She refused again however, her sobs not lessening as she gripped him, holding on desperately, their sexual connectedness not close enough for her at the moment. He wrapped his arm around her, holding onto her tightly as he whispered soothing words of comfort, telling her how much he loved her and that it was ok.

His hand moved to her head, stroking her satiny smooth hair as her sobs began to lessen. She was still clutching him desperately, her grip only seeming to tighten as the emotions stopped pouring out in her tears. They remained interlocked, neither making any movement, just holding on to the solace the connection provided. Vaughn made no attempt to make her talk, knowing that at the moment, she just needed his body to comfort her, needed his strength and his will, needed him to hold her. They remained joined for what seemed like hours, Vaughn's gentle caresses continuing, calming her, as he thought about the woman laying on him. He had an idea of what was bothering her, he knew that she had been particularly worried about him, about his concealment of pain, but he doubted that was all that had caused her breakdown. His thoughts drifted to her own emotional and physical state, knowing that being with him all the time, caring for him, was not an easy task. He knew that the whole ordeal had affected her emotionally and psychologically just as it had him. It wasn't easy to see your love in pain, in distress, afraid. He knew all too well the feeling of despair and helplessness, remembering too many nights when Sydney would cry over their latest mission, over her mother, over their complicated and convoluted spy life. Their daily lives had been a rat race before, a giant game of chess with them being simple pawns for far too long. But this was not the chess of men; this chess was a dangerous charade. One wrong move, one wrong turn and you could be dead. One wrong move had cost Vaughn his freedom and almost his life. That same move had cost Sydney equally as much. In an ironic way, the time now when they were forced to stop, when simple living was the task at hand, was more and less stressful. They had no one to catch, no one to chase, no missions to complete, no worldwide terrorist threats. There were no endless cell phone calls, no one to interrupt their much needed days off, no one to call them into emergency debriefs. However, they had traded one war for another; their own private war, the war against pain, against unseen enemies that still managed to plague the comforts of home. And the world did not stop because they were no longer in the game; the game raged on without their consent, without asking their permission.

As Vaughn continued to think, he found himself talking out loud, rambling what seemed to him nonsensical and random thoughts but to Sydney they sounded complete.

At first, her foggy and emotional brain had not heard his talking, but slowly as she got her emotions under control, she began to hear him. He was talking about what had happened and how sorry he was that it had such a profound effect on her. He told her he was sorry she had to worry about wounds and his pain, that it took such a large amount of her time, that she had to perform daily tasks for him, walk with him, comfort him, deal with his nightmares and his fears.

His tone was serious and remorseful; she could tell he blamed himself for her whole ordeal, thinking that all of it had just hit her. Slowly, she picked her head up, nuzzling his cheek as she rose, and looked down at the form of her lover. He met her eyes, those beautiful mahogany windows, misty and red-rimmed, looking down at him.

She actually smiled when she saw he had managed in her time of tears to produce a tissue from the nightstand. He handed it to her, the faintest of smiles on his face. After she took it and wiped her eyes and nose, she looked back at him again. In his eyes this time she saw guilt and fear and he started to apologize again knowing now he had her full attention.

"I know it's not easy to be here…and if I can manage the pain, that's why I don't tell you…I don't want to add anything else for you to do…I think you have enough to worry about already…"

Sydney shook her head slowly and said quietly, "That's not why I was crying…"

Vaughn looked back at her strangely, "Then why baby?"

Tears slowly made their way to the surface again, Sydney losing her composure, "I'm the one who should be sorry…this is all my fault…"

"Sydney, this is–"

"It IS Vaughn…it is…I did this to you…I'm the one that it should have happened to…I'm the one they should have taken. It's because of me and that makes me responsible. On top of all that, I keep making all these mistakes with you…and I'm deathly afraid that at some point I'm really gonna mess you up. I mean, just little things can add up fast Vaughn. I forget the wrap, I help, hell I facilitate sex in lawn chairs that break and hurt you, I let you stay outside and get colds while you're seriously injured, I allow you to do things that I know can injure you more, I forget your pills, I don't do enough, it's not enough," the words tumbled out in random succession, her tears trailing down her cheeks and falling onto his chest. "I can't make the pain go away…I can't help you…I don't…it's my fault that this happened and I can't fix it…I can't…" she stopped, sobbing again, not able to continue verbally for the moment.

Vaughn lay dumbfounded beneath her, his assessment of the situation slightly flawed, but not that far off. When she had stopped again enough to listen, he made her look at him. She looked up with moist eyes. "Sydney, I don't know what else I can say to you that I haven't already said. You're not responsible for what happened to me. You didn't do anything. All those things you just listed…those were the things that kept me going, you keep me going. Your 'mistakes' aren't that at all, you…no one can take your place Sydney…you take it all away…all of it…every memory of torture. You do more than enough. You do everything." He stopped, watching for a sign that he had gotten through. "You can touch me…I'm not made of glass…I'm not gonna break. I can't make you believe it Sydney…we can both blame ourselves all we want…in truth, neither one of us are to blame. I don't know what else to say," he looked away, his hand dropping to the bed.

Sydney looked down at him, and started again slowly, "It's just…I'm sick of everyone getting hurt…and it is my fault, everyone gets hurt because of the life I chose. Because I chose to do this, other people suffer."

Vaughn looked back at her, meeting her gaze, "I chose this life too…and I choose to be with you."

Sydney nodded and lay down again on Vaughn's chest, his arm moving again to hold her. No patterns were traced this time; he simply kept his hand in one solitary place, the warmth his hand provided on her bare back comforting. She could hear his heart, beating steadily, comforting her further, his breathing slow and soothing.

They lay there for a long time, the minutes passing without their notice. Sydney was starting to relax, her own breathing slowing to match his. The silence of their moment was broken suddenly when Vaughn's stomach let out a resonating growl.

He tried valiantly not to laugh, but wound up chuckling at himself. "Sorry," he said, a soft smile playing on his face.

Sydney sat up slowly and got off of him, shaking her head with a sad smile. "No, I'm sorry…"

"What?" Vaughn asked, as she grabbed her robe and was about to walk out of the bedroom.

"Just one more thing Vaughn…now I've let you starve. It's 3 o'clock Vaughn. I should have made lunch hours ago…"

Before he could respond, she was out the door and off to the kitchen. Vaughn watched the open and empty space of the door, wondering what more he could say to make her understand.

Sydney walked out to the kitchen and leaned on the counter for a minute, thinking about what to make and how she'd let herself get this out of control with his care. She decided on grilled cheese and fries, the fries solely because she felt horrible, knowing that it wouldn't take long to make. She grabbed his pills, berating herself once again for forgetting to give them to him at a normal time and put everything on the tray before walking back to the bedroom.

"You wanna get dressed first?" she asked, not looking at him, but putting the tray on the floor.

He deliberately said nothing until she looked at him, "Uh…sure…maybe just some boxers…you wanted me to keep my shirt off today right?"

Sydney looked at him, and turned, grabbing a pair of boxers from the nightstand and then came back and helped him put them on. As she was putting the tray over his lap, he stopped her, concerned about the strange way she was acting. "Syd?"

She moved to the bed and sat down, "Yeah?"

"What now? What did I say?"

"Nothing Vaughn…nothing."

"Tell me."

"I don't know what's the matter with me today."

"Why?"

"Your back…I said that a few hours ago, and I seemed to have completely forgot."

"Syd, you can't remember everything."

She nodded and handed him a section of his sandwich without another word. He took it and looked at the fries on the plate. He was going to tease her about it, but thought better of that idea and just continued to eat. She was silent through the rest of their meal, her only other interaction with him handing him his pills or the glass of milk on the tray.

She was similarly eerily quiet when she took the tray out and was gone for a few minutes getting rid of the dishes from the 'lunch.'

Vaughn watched as she started to straighten the bedroom on her entrance, picking up various items of clothing that had been strewn on the floor and moving them out of the general walking area.

"You should take a nap," she said quietly, startling Vaughn out of his thoughts as he watched her.

"I'm not tired…"

She stopped and looked at him momentarily before she started to straighten things up again.

"What would you do while I was napping?"

She stopped again, "I guess I'd do some work…I don't know really…"

"Why don't you bring the work in here…we can do it together."

"You should really rest," she said quietly, "You've had a lot already today."

"So have you…you gonna nap with me?"

"I'm not tired."

"Well I'm not either. Why do I have to sleep?"

"Fine," she said in an annoyed tone, walking out of the room and returning with the stacks of files. She set the laptop on his lap and then sat down next to him, the files separating them.

She grabbed one and started to work without saying anything else to him, letting him pick his own.

He thought her pouting was sort of funny, but he didn't broach the subject, knowing that doing so at this point would only push her further away.


	42. Chapter 237: My Immortal

**Chapter 237: My Immortal**

"You are the candle, love's the flame / A fire that burns through wind and rain  
Shine your light on this heart of mine / Till the end of time  
You came to me like the dawn through the night / Just shinin' like the sun  
Out of my dreams and into my life / You are the one, you are the one

Said I loved you but I lied / 'Cause this is more than love I feel inside  
Said I loved you but I was wrong / 'Cause love could never ever feel so strong  
Said I loved you but I lied

With all my soul I've tried in vain / How can mere words my heart explain  
This taste of heaven so deep so true / I've found in you  
So many reasons in so many ways / My life has just begun  
Need you forever, I need you to stay / You are the one, you are the one" – "Said I Loved You…But I Lied" – Michael Bolton

"It must have been cold there in my shadow, to never have sunlight on your face.  
You were content to let me shine, that's your way. You always walked a step behind.

So I was the one with all the glory, while you were the one with all the strength.  
A beautiful face without a name for so long. A beautiful smile to hide the pain.

Did you ever know that you're my hero, and everything I would like to be?  
I can fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings.

It might have appeared to go unnoticed, but I've got it all here in my heart.  
I want you to know I known the truth, of course I know it. I would be nothing without you.

Did you ever know that you're my hero? You're everything I wish I could be.  
I could fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings." – "Wind Beneath My Wings" – Bette Midler

* * *

He tried to concentrate on the file that was lying in his lap, but he found it near impossible. The words all blurred together as he read and reread the same material over and over. He glanced at Sydney's notepad and found it near blank, knowing that her thoughts were elsewhere and certainly not on the file about 'Mr. Yakamoto.' 

"Sydney this is insane," he said, her eyes darting over briefly to look at him, but her eyes fixed on the papers in front of her.

"Talk to me…neither of us are getting anything done."

"Well at least this is a safe thing. I can't injure you unless I give you a paper cut."

"Would you just stop? You can't be held accountable for every minute detail!"

She continued to look at the file.

He grabbed it out of her hand and flung it, the papers flying out in a whirlwind as the manila folder hit the wall, "f the file Sydney. You're not going to hurt me!"

She stared at him wide-eyed, surprised at his anger and his conduct.

He didn't back down, "Just stop it. I'm fine; you're doing a wonderful job. Stop worrying so much."

They stared at each other for a full minute, neither moving as Sydney watched the fire ebb in Vaughn's eyes and he stared her down, challenging her to say something to the contrary.

He thought he'd finally gotten through to her when she lowered her gaze back to the bed, looking at the pile of folders. She calmly grabbed another one and opened it, fully intending to ignore his outburst.

Vaughn sighed and touched her arm, pulling her towards him. She resisted at first, but he kept his grip on her arm and eventually she relented, letting her head fall on his shoulder.

He moved his arm to wrap around her and kissed her forehead. After a moment's pause, he said softly, "I'm sorry…I know you're scared…but you don't need to be…I'm fine. Put the file down…" he said closing the laptop and waiting for her to put the folder back on the bed. She put it down on top of the others and then rested her head on his shoulder again.

"When I…got rough with you that night…" he paused, his voice getting lower, "I was scared to make love again…because I didn't want to hurt you…this is the same thing Sydney…and you helped me get over that…you showed me that it was ok, that you were ok…I think we should try again…we'll go slow…just like we did that day…then you'll see…"

Sydney picked her head up off of his shoulder and looked at him. He smiled gently, his face warm and inviting, understanding and patient. She couldn't stop the slow smile that overtook her, he stepping up to be her guardian angel once again in her time of need. She nodded and gathered the files and the laptop, discarding them on the floor. She stood by the bed for a moment, awkwardly and was about to say something.

"Sydney," he said, making her look up at him. He shook his head and smiled, his dimples flashing along with an adorable gleam in his eyes. "Take the robe off…" he said, watching her eyes as he said it.

She smiled bashfully and looked down, untying the straps of the robe and letting it fall open.

Vaughn inhaled and looked down between the fluffy pieces of white cottony material that hung on her supple frame. He watched enraptured by her as she slowly peeled it off, letting it fall to the hardwood floor soundlessly. She stood naked at the side of the bed, framed by the dimming sunlight pouring in through the window.

She made a move to sit on the bed and he held up his hand, "No I just want to look at you…"

She grinned and watched his eyes as they roamed over her body, taking in every aspect of her. His gaze traveled all the way down her body until her legs disappeared, hidden by the bed, and then back up again, smiling as her breathing picked up and he met her chocolate brown eyes again.

"God you're so beautiful," he said breathily, his head leaning back against the headboard as he watched her slowly crawl towards him.

Her dimpled smile greeted him as she slowly moved over to take his boxers off. He watched with dreamy eyes as she discarded the material on the floor and then looked up at him expectantly.

"Come here," he said, holding out his hand to her.

She accepted the hand and slowly made her way up his body. She didn't let her weight rest on him, but her other free hand trailed up his chest and neck.

"It's ok," he said quietly, gently urging her to set her weight on him. She looked at him uneasily, fear evident again as she wavered in her confidence.

"Sydney," he said making her look at him again, "you can always tell when I'm in pain, when I'm hurt, when I need you…you can see it in my eyes…just keep watching…there's no pain here…"

She smiled shakily and nodded, slowly easing her weight down on his lap. He smiled and placed both of her hands on his chest before he reached up and caressed her cheek. He pulled gently, making her lean over him and kissed her, tenderly but thoroughly, their eyes slipping closed as they both got lost in sensation.

When they parted, Sydney searched his eyes for any trace of pain, but there was nothing in his eyes but love and wonder, adoration and reverence.

She smiled as she gained a small sense of her confidence back, knowing that at least thus far, he had not been hurt by anything they did.

"It's ok to keep going," he urged soothingly.

She leaned back over him, startled when his legs moved upward and out, making her grind into him more. She backed off, her lips moving away from his, but his hand was there to pull her back, easing her unrest and quelling her fear.

"I'm ok…" he assured her.

She nodded and threaded her hands in his hair, running through the messy strands, making them stick out further in every direction. She brought her lips to his neck, kissing along his jugular, his moans rising from deep in his chest.

"God Sydney," he breathed out, making her stop and look at him, but when she saw the blissful look on his face, she knew that he wasn't being hurt by what she was doing.

He pulled her back up to him again, attaching his own mouth to her neck and mimicking what she had done to him moments before. She let out her own string of throaty moans as her hands held onto his head for purchase, trying to will herself to slow down and not impale herself on him right at that very moment.

Vaughn had other plans however and pulled back to look at her, a smile playing on his face, his hair incredibly sexy-messy, "Syd…I know you want to take this slow, and if you're scared…then we'll keep going like this…but…I really, really need to be inside you…"

She smiled, her fears being pushed back into the recesses of her stressed brain and she nodded, "Just…we have to be careful," she said, reassuring herself and voicing her concerns.

He nodded and leaned back, taking her with him as watched her arch away from him and reach for his straining and throbbing cock. She placed him at her folds and then looked back at his face, his hooded gaze moving with hers from where they were about to be joined to her face, knowing that she needed to reassured that he was alright.

He nodded, "Go ahead baby…it's ok…I'm ok…I'll be better in a minute when I'm inside you too," he said with a smile.

Her smile widened and she kissed him quickly before easing the head of his cock into her folds and then slowly letting him penetrate her depths.

His eyes slipped closed as he slipped inside, the feeling forcing his eyes to close involuntarily. When he opened them, she was perched atop him, her hands pressing on his abdomen, keeping most of her weight off of him.

"All the way," he said softly, but sternly, arching his hips as his neck craned slightly backward, his cock pushing all the way inside.

She couldn't hold in the gasp that tore through her when he was fully penetrating her. She looked up at him wildly after getting used to the fullness and thickness of him, her fear rising again.

He had a smile on his face though, his breath raspy and full of desire, his eyes fiery waiting for her to adjust so they could start to move.

She could see so many things in his eyes, her whole world contained in those two small portals, and just as he had promised, there was no pain, only love and relief, tenderness and comfort.

She reached out and caressed his cheek; he leaned into her touch as he encouraged her to move with his eyes. He fixed his grip on her hip, pulling her forward, silently telling her to rock on him.

She rolled her hips slowly twice, watching his face and his upper body for any signs of discomfort. He knew she was doing it and smiled at her the whole time, the smile morphing into a grin as she found that he was not in any pain with their level of lovemaking. Satisfied with his response, she started to roll her hips more, clenching her muscles around him as she moved faster and slightly harder. His groans started to mingle with her own as her rolling sent her clit rubbing into him on every forward motion.

Vaughn thrust his hips upward on her next roll forward, sending his head into her cervix. She cried out at the sudden and unexpected rush of feelings that erupted as he pushed into her most sensitive areas. She looked down at him again, making sure that he wasn't overexerting, and smiled as she watched him, his lower lip tucked behind his teeth, his face in a pleasure-filled grimace. He took his hand away from her hip and moved it down to her clit, his new position taking away the stimulation point for her clit. He pinched the nub between his fingers before pressing his thumb into it in circles. The moan that erupted from her made him smile proudly, his dimples out in full force as he watched her head drop back in ecstasy. Her hands moved to his chest, her fingers gently kneading as she brought her head back to look at him.

"You close?" he asked in a husky tone.

She smiled and nodded, too close herself to answer.

He took matters into his own hands, so to speak, after her affirmation and pushed his legs up more, sending him into her at a different angle. She almost lost her balance and found a lot of her weight resting on him as a result. She looked down at him nervously one last time as he diligently worked on her clit with his fingers, his cock pressing into her deeply, making her stretch. She saw no pain, only a delicate hold on his own sanity as he sped steadily towards his own orgasm.

She wanted to wait for him, to come together, to complete their merging as one, but found that his deftly placed fingers and thrusting cock proved an altogether too difficult combination to wait for.

She gripped him hard as she tumbled into climax, her muscles milking him, contracting powerfully, a liberating and hoarse scream tearing through the bedroom.

Her orgasm brought Vaughn's out of him, his hips arching into her as he spilled himself inside her, the lack of release before and the torrent of Sydney's orgasm forcing his to rise quickly to the surface. He kept up a slow and steady rhythm of thrusts upward into her as the last of his seed worked its way out of his cock. Sydney's orgasm had dissipated enough by the time Vaughn came that she was privileged with the scene of his. She loved the way his whole body tensed before it released, the way his breathing stopped for a moment before the first spurt hit, she loved everything, loved watching every minute detail of his climax. As his thrust slowed and his gaze returned to hers, she leaned down and placed her lips over his, a silent thank you and so much more encased in their joined lips and joined bodies. She rested her forehead against his as they parted, Vaughn still jerking faintly inside her.

He smiled as he looked at her, "I love you."

"I love you too…thank you…for pulling me back…just like always…"

"What do you think you do for me?" He paused, "Are you satisfied now that I don't get hurt when we do this?"

"Not entirely," she said, and as he was about to retort, she placed a finger on his lips, replacing her finger with her lips. "Not entirely, but I think we have plenty of time to fix that…"

Vaughn smiled and claimed her lips once more, "I can deal with that…"


	43. Chapter 238: Nuts and Bolts

**Chapter 238: Nuts and Bolts **

"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together." – Vincent Van Gogh

"Laughter is an instant vacation." – Milton Berle

"Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on." – Bob Newhart

"A hearty laugh gives one a dry cleaning, while a good cry is a wet wash." – Puzant Kevork Thomajan

* * *

Will was the first through the front door, yelling to Francie who was halfway up the walkway, "I'll ask!" He glanced in the living room and found no one there, "Guys?" he yelled.

No answer.

"Guys?" He called again, a little louder.

No answer.

"GUYS?!" his question took on a worried tone, wondering what happened to the couple they had left that morning. Down the hallway, Sydney's door was open, so he knew they were not…busy. He checked out the patio and found no one there, and continued on his way to the bedroom, slightly faster than he had intended.

"Gu–" he stopped, Francie slamming into him powerfully enough to send them both into the room, staggering.

"Will what the he–" Francie got out, her gaze going from Will's stunned face to the bed.

"Aw SHIT," Vaughn said, half asleep.

Sydney jerked awake, looking down at Vaughn in question, "Wha…" she said equally sleepy. She followed Vaughn's gaze to her two friends in the room. Without thinking, she pushed herself off of Vaughn, making him groan in the process at the quick exit from his warm sanctuary, "Syd, wait –" he got out, the curse of half sentences striking again.

She knew instantly why he had said that, because before, where their joined antics had been concealed by her legs, now, there was nothing that wasn't out in the open.

She reached for the sheet quickly, trying desperately to cover them both, but it was largely much, much too late for that.

Francie was grinning like a fool at Sydney, "Well girl…I gotta say…way to go…" she said nodding.

Will turned to look at her, "EXCUSE ME?"

"Well – it was right there…I mean you can't fault a girl for looking…and you should talk – since you checked him out too…"

"Would you rather me check out Sydney's ass? Besides that – if I was checking Sydney out – Vaughn would kick my ass…"

Sydney had dissolved into a fit of giggles on the bed; bringing Will and Francie's attention back there. Vaughn was equally amused, chuckling as he watched Sydney completely lose it. "Guess we fell asleep," she snorted between giggles.

Will turned to walk out, "I'm just going to pretend this never happened and go out here in the hall where it's safe and I'll remember to yell really loudly any time I come in the house…and what do you want for dinner as I just make my way out here…"

Vaughn started to laugh harder as Sydney leaned into him as tears started to fall. "That. Was. So. Funny."

"I'm glad you thought so," Will called from the hallway.

Francie giggled, "We'll just whip something up…" she said, starting to follow Will out into the hall and giving Sydney a wink and a thumbs up on her way out.

Sydney waved to her and snorted again, "Whip something up…"

Francie was still chuckling and snickering as she walked to the kitchen behind Will. He grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and sat down on one of the stools in the kitchen. "Why me?" he asked quietly.

Francie giggled, "Oh stop…you just witnessed like live porn. Shut up…take the dog out while I make dinner. You can clear your mind…so it's all fresh for when we go back in there."

Will shook his head, "Yeah ok…Donovan!" he called to the dog who was in the backyard, happily chasing a chipmunk. He bounded over to Will, his tongue lolling. "Let's go for a walk boy."

Donovan followed him to the door and waited patiently for him to attach the leash before he walked out with the gleeful dog.

Francie chuckled as she opened the refrigerator and settled on something to make for dinner. She giggled as she set it on a plate and put in the microwave. Will would never see it coming…

Hapless Will reentered the house with Donovan a while later, refreshed and smiling. He kissed Francie on the cheek, "Did you decide on dinner?"

"Yes, it's already in the bedroom…we're all set…just got it finished."

"Great," Will said, walking arm-in-arm with her down the hall to the bedroom.

Sydney and Vaughn were already chuckling when he got to the room, so he had an idea that something was awry, but he sat down nonetheless on the chair. The couple on the bed was at least dressed for the occasion this time and he watched as Francie retrieved a plate from the dresser.

"Here ya go honey," she said, handing him the plate and trying to cover her smile with her hand.

"Nice guys…real cute," Will said as the room erupted with laughter, a hot dog sitting on his plate.

"Don't blame us," Sydney said through a bite, "it was Francie's idea."

Vaughn smiled at Will as he dunked his hot dog in a huge pile of ketchup, "Sorry man."

"Thanks honey…really…very nice…hope you know you'll be getting none of what we walked in on tonight," he said with an elaborate bite. "Oh…and you've now ruined hot dogs for me…I'll never be able to eat them the same way again."

"Honey, I'm sure you're male sexual brain has had those thoughts for years," Francie pointed out.

"Well…yeah…but now…" he shuddered.

"Ok! Dessert!" Francie said as she reentered the room with a tray. She handed Will his dish and stood back to watch his reaction.

Will stared down at the dish and looked back up at Francie who had launched into a giggling fit. "This is in SUCH poor taste," he said.

"What?" Sydney said snickering, taking her and Vaughn's dish.

"First hot dogs…now banana splits?! Come on!"

Francie giggled more and approached Will, "See honey, I gave you the most curved banana and the ice cream scoops–"

"Yes, I get it Francie, they're right at the base of the banana, as balls, I GET IT."

Vaughn was chuckling as he watched Will and Francie; happily eating the spoonfuls that Sydney was feeding him.

"And I put extra peaNUTS on yours too honey…I left them off of Sydney's cause she already got her nuts today."

Vaughn choked on his ice cream, coughing and sitting up slightly so he wouldn't completely lose his breathing functions.

Sydney giggled more, "Actually Francie, you know I can never get enough…nuts."

That only made Vaughn cough more, Sydney rubbing his back as he shook his head.

Will glared at her from his chair, "I don't think I can even eat this…" he said looking down in near disgust at the banana spit. "It's just SO wrong. I don't even want to verbalize what's going through my mind now."

"Dude…this isn't exactly comfortable from my position either," Vaughn pointed out.

Will shook his head and tried valiantly to eat some of the ice cream.

"How're the balls Will?" Francie said, eating her own dessert happily a few feet away from him.

Will put the spoon down, "You're so dead tonight."

"I'm counting on it."

"Well that was certainly enjoyable," Will quipped, "What are we gonna do tonight?"

"Mmm…I don't know…" Sydney said, feeding Vaughn the last of the banana split.

"We could watch a movie…OR play Xbox," Will said nodding.

Vaughn chuckled, "Yeah…what are we gonna play?"

"Well we can try hockey again or one of the other games I got…Buffy," he said nodding once again in a leading manner.

"Or not," Sydney said smiling at Vaughn.

"Well FINE, but she's HOT and it was a GOOD show," he said huffily.

"What was the other one you got? Lord of the Rings?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't we try that one."

"OK!" Will got up excitedly, "I'll get it set up!"

Francie smiled at her boyfriend's enthusiasm and gathered up the dessert dishes.

Sydney looked over at Vaughn, "Ready?"

"Yeah, you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok," she said smiling and leaning over to kiss him before helping him stand.

He looked unsurely at her, but he didn't want to raise the issue again now. They walked out to the living room slowly, Sydney letting Vaughn take as much control as he wanted. He let her guide him until they were in the hall and then he looked at her, and she got the message. She took her arms away from his waist and let him walk with just his hand on her shoulder.

When they got closer to the couch, he let go, walking the last few steps on his own and plopping on the couch shakily and rather strenuously.

Will had stopped loading the game and actually stopped moving altogether when he saw them coming out of the hallway, Sydney not holding onto Vaughn like she normally did. He found himself holding his breath when he saw Vaughn let go, his eyes transfixed and his body ready to spring forward and catch him if he fell. When Vaughn landed on the couch, he let out a long breath, his head dropping in relief. When he looked up, he saw a similar look of relief on Francie's face just outside the kitchen, watching just like he had been.

Vaughn looked over at Will, "What?"

"Nothing."

Sydney sat down next to Vaughn, smiling proudly and he returned the smile, but he looked tired. He leaned back against the back of the couch; his head falling back as well and he closed his eyes for a few minutes, resting.

Sydney waited a few minutes before she asked him if he was all right.

"Yeah, I'm ok…can I have some water though?"

"Sure," Sydney said, quickly getting up from the couch to retrieve the liquids he requested. She returned just as quickly and handed him the glass, which he greedily drained in a few long gulps.

She smiled at him when he handed her the glass, "More?"

"Uhm…maybe one more yeah," he nodded.

Sydney grinned and brought him another glass which he also drained quickly.

"More?"

"No, that's good," he said smiling.

Sydney put the glass in the dishwasher and then sat down again next to Vaughn. "Good job honey."

"Thanks."

"K, someone wanna explain what just happened?" Will asked.

"Vaughn started walking on his own today," Sydney said proudly.

"That's great!" Will said happily, coming over and giving Vaughn a gentle hug.

Francie moved over in the same manner and kissed the top of his head, "Way to go Michael."

"Well I didn't walk very far."

"Small steps Michael…they make the same waves, just takes a few more."

Vaughn smiled.

"No step is too small Mike," Will added handing him his controller.

"Thanks," Vaughn said nodding.

Sydney watched him proudly; happy that others were reaffirming what she had told him many times already. Sometimes, it was easier coming from someone else.


	44. Chapter 239: The Fellowship Crumbles

**Chapter 239: The Fellowship Crumbles**

"Hold your ground, hold your ground. Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day. This day we fight! For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" – Aragorn, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – J.R.R Tolkien

"The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do." – B. F. Skinner

* * *

"Well what do we do now?" Vaughn asked, staring at the screen.

"I dunno…" Will said equally lost.

Vaughn smirked, "Dude…if neither one of us know, we're not gonna do very well on this game."

"I told you we should have played Buffy!"

"Will please!" Francie said, "Would ya stop with the Buffy!?"

"WHAT? I like Buffy! It's probably less complicated than this game!"

"Why don't you read the instructions," Sydney said.

Will turned to look at her, "Huh…good idea."

He grabbed the box and the manual and read; "_The Lord of the Rings™: The Return of the King™ video game puts the fate of Middle-earth in your hands. In the final installment of the blockbuster movie trilogy, you must destroy the One Ring by casting it into the Crack of Doom, freeing Middle-earth from the clutches of the Dark Lord Sauron. Journey through_…blah blah…"

Vaughn chuckled, "Well I hope that wasn't important."

"It wasn't," Will assured him. He read silently, "This really doesn't tell us anything we're supposed to do…just like what buttons do what. Hmm…"

"Well let's just start, see what else we can find…"

"Ok," Will shrugged, "Who do you wanna be?"

"Uhm…"

"Wait…we can only be Aragorn, Legolas or Gandalf…I think…shit…uh – or we can be that dwarf dude."

"Gimli," Vaughn offered.

"Yeah him."

"I'll be–"

"Aragorn!" Sydney shouted.

Vaughn looked at her.

"What? I think you should be Aragorn…he's hot…and he's the king…"

Vaughn smiled, "Ok, Aragorn it is."

"I think you should be the dwarf Will…" Sydney said, smirking.

Will turned and raised an eyebrow, "I'm going to be Legolas thank you very much."

"The elf," Sydney said nodding.

"Shut up. OK let's PLAY NOW," Will said shooting her a glance.

"What do you we do?"

"We kill things…"

"Nice Will…real nice…and how do I kill things? Give me the book, I wanna know what buttons I'm gonna have to press to 'kill things.'"

Will handed him the book.

Vaughn studied the pages for a moment, looking over the figures and words. He turned to Sydney, "I think we should have played hockey."

Sydney smiled as Will loaded a new game. "Ok ready?" he asked.

"No."

Sydney looked at him.

"Can you help me take this off?" he asked, looking down at the sling.

"Sure," Sydney said, moving to help him take it off.

"Ok, ready," he said.

Will nodded and the screen flashed to various scenes of _Lord of the Rings_.

"Holy shit," Will said as the first level started. "How do I fight?"

Vaughn chuckled as he started to swing Aragorn's sword, "You should have read the manual. We're gonna die now."

"No! I can figure it out…I'll just press all the buttons…"

"Dude…what did you do?"

"Just pressed buttons!"

"Well stop! You just made me die! I'm the only who knows how to fight! Now you're all alone!"

"Damnit!" Will lowered his head; "I died…"

"No shit," Vaughn said laughing.

Sydney looked over at Francie, "This was a bad idea…"

"You're telling me…"

2 hours later…

"No! He ate me again!"

"Well you're not pressing the right buttons! You have to press A AND B!"

"I am!"

"There's a pattern! A A B A!"

"I did that!"

"You did not!"

"Guys," Francie finally said, "Don't you think it's time to give up? I mean Will hasn't been able to stay alive for more than a few minutes yet."

"I have so!" he said defensively.

"Just a few more minutes. We can do this!" Vaughn said determinedly.

Francie shook her head and walked over to the Xbox. She pressed the power button.

Will looked up at her, his mouth agape, "We…WE DIDN'T SAVE THAT!"

"Will, you're on level TWO. I don't think it's gonna matter."

He huffily put the controller down.

"Stop pouting," Francie told him, "I'm gonna go get ready for bed."

"Ok," Sydney said smiling at her. She turned to Vaughn who had sat the controller on the couch. She leaned over and started to put the sling back on.

"You could just wait…we'll have to take it off again to get my pajamas on."

"True…but I think you need it in there to walk."

"Hmm yeah I suppose you're right."

Will sighed and turned the television off, "We'll try again tomorrow."

Vaughn shot him a look, "We're gonna be sleeping out here too pretty soon…not because we're playing too much but because the ladies will be pissed at us."

Will shook his head as he started to walk down the hall, "I know we could have beaten that thing."

Sydney chuckled as she helped Vaughn stand and they started to walk back to the bedroom. "You wanna try it again on your own or you want help?"

"Let's see how it goes."

"Ok," she smiled.

She waited for the signal to let go, but it never came. When they got to the bedroom she eased him down on the bed.

"Nope…too tired," he said with a soft smile.

"It's ok honey, you did it twice already today and with all that killing you just did cause Will sucks…I understand."

Vaughn chuckled.

She checked the wounds on his back before getting a shirt, making sure that she didn't need to bandage any before bed. "They look pretty good honey," she said, tracing over a few of the scabs lightly, "You want me to bandage them or leave them?"

"Well…I guess as long as they aren't bleeding or anything…"

"No, it doesn't look like any of these are…"

"Then leave the bandages off tonight."

"Ok," she said before moving to grab a shirt for him. She stopped and turned, "Wait…maybe we should just leave it off?"

He looked up at her with a smirk, "You're just trying to keep me shirtless…"

"I try at all costs, yes."

Vaughn smiled and grabbed her hand as she took off the pants she had put on him earlier, "You ok?"

She looked up at him, his eyes worried and full of love for her, "Yeah, I'm ok. Sometimes…it just catches up with you…you know?"

"Yeah, I know," he said with a grin.

"Of course you do…thank you for being there for me…"

"Always."

She smiled and replaced the sling, and then grabbed their toothbrushes from the bathroom, helped him brush and then lie down on the bed. She got her own pajamas on and climbed in with him, snuggling close, her head on his bare chest and his arm protectively around her.

"I love you Sydney."

"I love you too."

"Goodnight…"

"Night," she said sleepily, yawning.

Vaughn smiled and held her close, listening as she drifted off, wondering if they would ever stop blaming themselves. Both of them were willing and insistent that it was not the other's fault, but they both had problems admitting to themselves that they were not to blame. He'd have therapy tomorrow…maybe Barnett would be able to help him sort it out…


	45. Chapter 240: Cereal Killer

**Chapter 240: Cereal Killer**

"We do not remember days; we remember moments." – Cesare Pavese

"Do you know what breakfast cereal is made of? It's made of all those little curly wooden shavings you find in pencil sharpeners!" – Roald Dahl

"Like religion, politics, and family planning, cereal is not a topic to be brought up in public. It's too controversial." – Erma Bombeck

* * *

Vaughn slept restlessly that night, thoughts and memories plaguing him more than he would have liked. When Wednesday's morn finally broke, he'd been dozing on and off for several hours, lost somewhere between waking and sleeping. Their conversation and activities from the prior day ran through his mind endlessly; things that Sydney had said, the way she looked at him, the way she pulled her touch, all swirled together in a painting of guilt in his mind. At one point he wished the mind would have an on/off switch so he could have flipped it hours ago. Still, the thoughts skimmed the surface of the river of his thoughts, raging rapids and waterfalls mingled in with quieter peaceful trickling steams when his brain slowed and offered him a small piece of respite.

Vaughn watched Sydney as she slept, the same restlessness that seemed to be plaguing him had thankfully left her alone for the night. Her state of sleeping could have been described as near comatose actually but he knew that was due more to the exhaustion from the previous day and not an actual peaceful slumber. Her face was devoid of any emotion, her body just simply shut down so her mind could rest, and while he watched her, Vaughn almost wished that his body had decided on the same path. He wasn't as lucky however, and finally just resolved to let his body rest while Sydney slumbered.

He let his eyes slip closed for a while, listening to Sydney's steady breathing. He found that it calmed the waterfalls that tumbled over the side of the mountain of his mind. He matched his breathing to hers, his chest rising and falling with her breath, and opened his eyes, smiling at her still form, her hand resting gently on his chest. He lie awake in a peaceful morning silence, watching the sunlight make shapes on the ceiling.

He felt Sydney stir slightly and moved his gaze from the ceiling to her beautiful waking face, her features scrunching as a yawn escaped.

She looked up at him through sleep-blurred eyes, "Morning," she mumbled.

"Morning…"

She seemed to notice his state of wakefulness, "Did you sleep?" she asked.

He smiled, "Off and on."

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm ok…you?"

"Better…yeah…I slept like the dead."

Vaughn smirked, "Yeah…I noticed."

Her eyes set on him, "How 'off and on' is 'off and on?'"

"I rested…it's ok."

She looked down at his chest, her finger drawing circles, "What kept you up?"

"Thinking…"

"About?" she looked up at him, her finger still circling.

"Everything…you…"

"Must have been some pretty intense thinking to keep you up…"

"Not really…just a lot of things…you, us, Barnett…"

"Stuff you want to talk about?"

"We talked about most of it yesterday, just…lingering. I'm ok…Are you?"

Sydney nodded and smiled, letting the issue drop for the moment, "You hungry?"

"Sure."

"Ok, what should we have?"

"Whatever you don't have to make."

Sydney chuckled, "Low maintenance again?"

"Yeah…the lowest. We have any cereal?"

"You want cereal?" Sydney asked in a surprised and amused tone.

"I lived in an apartment…by myself…for years Sydney…cereal is it's own food group."

Sydney laughed, "Ok…I'll see what we have."

"Ok."

She scoured the cupboards with a smirk for cereal, finding a small array of the different tastes in the house. There were obvious Will choices: Coco Puffs, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes. There were also less 'Will' cereals that the other occupants of the house ate: Raisin Bran, Honey Nut Cheerios, Special K – Red Berry. Sydney walked back to the doorway, "Well…we have the Will selection which is for the eight year olds and we also have the 'adult' cereals, which include a variety of bran flakes with amenities and there's also Cheerios…"

"Plain or Honey Nut or Apple Cinnamon?"

Sydney smirked, "Honey Nut."

"I'll have those."

"Ok, you want anything else?"

"No…can I have some coffee though?"

"Sure, juice? Milk?"

"Uhm…I'll have some orange juice."

"Ok, I'll be right back."

Sydney returned in a few minutes with their breakfast, a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios for him and a bowl of Special K – Red Berry for herself.

She set the tray down and got his pills out, "Vaughn!" she said excitedly, almost making him dump his bowl of cereal.

"What?" he asked, looking back at the uncooperative bowl, trying to figure out how he could get the cereal to his mouth without slopping milk all over himself.

Sydney smiled at his scrutiny of the cereal situation, "I'll help you in a second, but look!" She gave him his pills and then showed him the bottle of the antibiotic one, "Remember? Today is the last day for these!" she exclaimed.

He smiled, "Yeah, I remember. I'll save my enthusiasm until I take the last one today."

Sydney looked over at him and grabbed his bowl, moving it closer to him and gave him a spoonful of cereal.

"Fanks," he said through the Cheerios, "Dees ur vreelly goob."

She smiled and put his bowl down, grabbing her own and taking a spoonful. She continued to trade off with their bowls until the cereal was gone, "You want more?"

"No, that was enough, but it was really good."

"Yes, you mentioned that through your mouthfuls. What else you wanna do today before Barnett gets here?"

Vaughn thought a minute, "We could do some work…"

"Sure…that what you wanna do?"

"Yeah, if you want to."

"Yeah, we can do that. Let me clean up the dishes, we'll get dressed and then we can work, ok?"

"Sounds good."

Sydney smiled and took the tray out, returning several minutes later to get them dressed. She grabbed a pair of jeans for him and a short sleeve, button-up blue shirt. He watched her button the shirt, a satisfied grin on his face the whole time. She returned the smirk he was giving her and turned to dress herself before retrieving the files and the laptop.

Their business faces went on after that, both falling into a similar routine of professionalism while still being intimate that suited them so well.

"You want that Vespertini file?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah, if I still remember what the hell I was doing with it. Seems like it's been eons since I looked at it last."

"It'll come to you honey, I'm sure."

"Yeah, I hope so," he said taking the file and flipping though the first few pages again. He started to make notes on the computer, "Born – Italy – January 25th, 1969. No information until 1990. No picture identification, no fingerprints on file. Flight logs…"

He studied the screen for a moment before paging through the file to the copious pages of endless flight lists. He started with the most recent information; there were 17 flights in 2002 and all activity seemed to stop after December 15th. His brow furrowed as he thought out loud, "He was fazing it out…"

"What honey?" Sydney asked, looking over in Vaughn's direction.

"Nothing…just thinking…"

"Tell me," she moved closer, looking at the page he had laid out in front of him.

"Whoever this guy is…he's fazing himself out. He has a lot of flights in the first years listed here…and there's a huge number in 2000…but after that, it's dropping, he's not using this name…I mean we have no clue who this guy is…but whoever he is, he's not using this name anymore…he hasn't had any activity since December of 2002."

Sydney smiled at him, "Well that's a start."


	46. Chapter 241: The Mysterious Mr Vesperti

**Chapter 241: The Mysterious Mr. Vespertini**

_"This is like deja vu all over again." – Yogi Berra_

_"Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it Autograph your work with excellence." – Unknown _

_"The doer alone learneth." – Friedrich Nietzsche_

* * *

"Yeah…" Vaughn returned the smile and then went back to the file. He switched gears, going back to the beginning, 1990 and read over the flights listed there. 47 flights were logged in 1990; there seemed to be no pattern to the flights. 1991: Vaughn counted 53 flights; 1992: 57 flights; 1993: 68 flights. His brow furrowed further as he chewed gently on his lower lip…no patterns to any of the flights, just places, random dates…no significant breaks in time…no repeated stops…just a steady stream, a few a month…

Vaughn scanned over 1994 – 28 flights. His eyes scanned over the information…same non-pattern to the data.

His eyes kept scanning onto the next page…

His eyes stopped and looked at the last date. He made a note, "Flight break from 11/22/94 – 2/22/95."

He moved on, going over 1995 and stopped again…

"Flight break from 5/26/95 – 8/2/95."

He scanned on, the rest of 1995 went without significant breaks. He stopped again and made a note when there was a break in early 1996.

He made the note, "Flight break from 3/1/96 – 7/29/96."

Vaughn found that 1997 and 1998 were uneventful; there were no breaks in the flights, it seemed that Vespertini had settled into a pattern similar to early 90's. He found 1999 to be a different story…

He made the note, "Huge gap in 1999. No flights from 4/1/99 – 10/22/99." He scanned the rest of the page and added, "Only 8 flights total for the whole year."

He shook his head and moved on to 2000. His brow set in a confused and surprised manner as he made the note, "Huge spike in flights – 122 total for year."

He looked over the logs and found nothing of particular notice. There did seem to be more activity after March.

The rest of the year continued much the same, more travel logged in this year than in any other.

2001 started off much the same as the previous year, but another break occurred…

After the break, the flights were more sporadic, but still steady. 2002 brought Vaughn back to his starting point, the last year of records. He scanned over the last entries in the log…

Vaughn made a few more notes in the file, "One way flights…departures/returns to LAX…private planes?"

He was still thinking, staring intently at the screen, trying to make connections out of the gaps in flight time. He was so into his project that he didn't hear Sydney calling his name. Finally she laid her hand on his arm, "Vaughn."

He looked over at her, "Yeah?"

She smiled, "Thinkin pretty hard there."

He smiled sheepishly, his dimples flaring momentarily, "Yeah I guess I was."

"It's almost 1:00 – we should eat lunch…Barnett…"

"Yeah, ok…"

"What do you want?"

"Doesn't matter…what do you want?"

"Something that requires little preparation if you don't mind," Sydney said with a soft smile.

"Don't mind at all, although preparation is my middle name."

Sydney snorted, "Grilled cheese?"

"Side of Heinz and I'm all set."

"Ok honey, I'll be back in a few minutes."

"K, I'm gonna keep going with this."

Sydney smiled and got off the bed, stopping to look back at him from the doorway. He was busily studying the computer, his brow crinkling in thought. Sydney stood watching him for a minute, and the smile that was playing on her face drifted and settled into more of a thoughtful smile. The work seemed to bring him a sense of pride that he hadn't been able to grasp recently; a way to take a proactive role, making more of his own decisions, progressing steadily towards a healing on more than one level. She quietly moved out of the doorway to let him continue…

When she returned with the sandwiches, he was still staring at the screen, mumbling something under his breath. She waited, but he didn't notice her presence, "Take it easy with the thinking honey…it'd be a bitch to bandage that injury…"

Vaughn smirked as the words sunk in. His serious visage changed to one of amusement and he waited until she set down the tray and moved the laptop to toss one of the pillows from the bed at her. "Smart ass."

Sydney laughed and replaced the pillow, plopping down on the bed with him. "My ass thanks you for the complement."

Vaughn looked over at her, "It's a nice ass."

She smiled and started on her sandwich. She shook her head as she watched him dunk the grilled cheese in ketchup. "Lil grilled cheese there with your Heinz Vaughn?"

"What is it two-for-one day on Vaughn picking?" he asked with a smile.

"Just can't help myself it seems…must be all the work, it's getting to me."

"I like the work."

"I can see that…just make sure the work doesn't become more important than me."

"Well…one could consider sex a form of work…a very productive form…which I think we should…produce…soon," he stopped, chuckling.

Sydney giggled, "I think we better start limiting your ketchup intake."

"Perhaps."

A pensive smile rested on his face as Sydney watched him finish the first part of his sandwich.

"You like the work, don't you?" She asked, more of a statement than a question.

Vaughn looked over at her, green meeting brown, and smile widened, "Yeah I do."

"Why?" she asked, having a good idea already about the answer, but wanting to hear him say it anyway.

He took a deep breath, "Well…I guess it helps on a lot of levels…gets my mind off of things, off the injuries, and the slow progress…it's something I can do without help – something that I can be in control of. I don't have a lot of control right now over everything else…so…it's nice to have something that I can handle on my own. It makes me feel like I'm being useful instead of sitting around while everyone else does stuff around me."

"You know that we don't see you like that though, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but it doesn't stop me from feeling like that…cause I'm the one sitting here."

"I know…I'm glad it helps Vaughn."

He looked over at her again, "It's insignificant though…"

She looked at him confused, trying to read his eyes, "The work? No it's not honey. It's very significant."

"That's not what I mean…"

"What do you mean then?"

"I mean that it's insignificant when it compares to you…nothing replaces you…"

Sydney attempted to come up with words to respond to his statement, but found she had none to offer that would have conveyed the fullness of her emotions. They spent a few moments in silence, their eyes speaking all the words they needed to exchange, like they did on so many other countless occasions.

Sydney leaned over and traced her hand over Vaughn's cheek before turning his head slightly and placing her lips on his. Both sets of eyes closed after that connection of lips, the volumes having been said now taking on new form, their mouths speaking all the words that were necessary.

The kisses deepened until they were both lost in each other. Vaughn's hand had made it's way to the back of Sydney's head, holding her close as their tongues joined the kissing. They both smiled, their lips still touching, when the doorbell rang, signaling an end to their intimacy.

Sydney caressed his cheek again as she moved away, grabbing the tray and the dishes from lunch and set them on the counter on her way to the door.

"Hi Dr. Barnett," she said with a smile.

"Hello Sydney. How are you?"

"I'm ok."

"Bedroom?"

"Yep."

Barnett nodded and walked past her as Sydney closed the door and went back to clean up the dishes on the tray.


	47. Chapter 242: Bells and Cookies…

**Chapter 242: Bells and Cookies…**

"You don't make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas." – Shirley Chisholm

"We are either progressing or retrograding all the while. There is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life." – James Freeman Clarke

"C is for cookie, it's good enough for me; oh cookie cookie cookie starts with C." – Cookie Monster

* * *

"Hello Michael."

"Hi."

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah I am."

"And everything else? How is everything else going?"

"It's ok," Vaughn replied.

"Just ok?" Barnett asked.

"Yeah, things have been pretty good. I guess…well yesterday Sydney…she sort of had a breakdown…she's afraid that she's been hurting me because I don't tell her every single time I'm in pain…I spent hours trying to convince her that it wasn't her fault, that she does a great job, but…well I mean she calmed down and she told me she was alright…but it's Sydney and I know her better than that…she just pushes it back…"

He paused, Barnett giving him the time he needed to finish his thoughts.

"I feel like it's my fault. That if I would be progressing faster, if things would heal faster that she wouldn't worry about it as much. I mean, yeah, I make progress…but it's just so small. I mean I started walking…sort of…but it's just so frustrating to take one step forward and it seems take three backward." He sighed, looking up at her.

Barnett smiled back at him, "Michael, it might not seem like you're making progress, but you are. Every time you open up to me with something new it's progress. I know it's never easy to share feelings with psychiatrists, especially ones you don't intentionally seek out for help. You need to give yourself time to heal. You need to allow yourself to mourn for everything you lost and be grateful for everything you've gained. It may not seem like it, but you did gain a lot from this…and I don't just mean the physical proof of what you went through. You need to be patient with yourself. It's completely normal to feel bad and feel like it's your fault, but you need to understand that it's not. Did you ask for this to happen?"

"No…"

"I didn't think so. Is a woman who was raped to blame because she somehow allowed it to happen?"

"Of course not."

"No? Well then why do you think you are?"

"I don't know…because it's me…"

"What we're doing is dealing with everything happening to you right now to keep you sane and in control before we can go back and be able to deal with what happened to you then."

She paused before adding, "As far as Sydney is concerned, on the few occasions I've seen her, she does compartmentalize a lot, but never has an outlet. She may have had one when she went on missions before or she poured it all out on you, knowing you'd be there, but now she's holding it in because she doesn't want to burden you. You're both doing the same thing, protecting each other because you think that you're being burdensome."

Vaughn thought a moment, "So how do we stop doing that?"

"Both of you need to stop feeling guilty over things you can't control. And the things you can control, you just need to work on your communication. You may talk about everything already, but do you really talk about _everything_?"

"But Sydney and I do talk about everything…"

"No, you don't Michael. If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation and Sydney wouldn't have broken down. You don't talk about _everything_. You mentally hold things back from each other, on purpose, on accident. It's just a habit. One, half born out of the secrecy that is required for your jobs. The other is your unfounded guilt over being a 'burden.'"

"So how do we learn to not hold back?"

"In an intimate relationship you learn that you have to automatically open yourself up more than you normally would. The bond you and Sydney share is very deep. Anyone who has ever seen you two together knows that. You're already close; you just have to take that final step. You have to let go of all the fears you have. There's no more SD-6. You can be completely open with each other without certain fears. You've both felt it all before, and before you were alone – forced to be apart because of protocol, or Sloane and his Security Section, or anything else you want to say kept you apart. You shared some things, but you've never truly seen _everything_ from each other. You both understand it, because you've seen it in yourself. You need to let go of what's keeping you from being honest. Completely honest with her. Do you think there's anything you can say, or she can say, or do, that you won't understand, or at least try to understand? Or not even understand, but accept, or talk about, or just comfort each other over?

"No, nothing."

"You have to let each other see everything – all the pain, tears, happiness. You have to stop being afraid to let go. You both just need to let go."

Vaughn said nothing for a while, thinking about what Barnett had said. When he did speak, it was in a quieter tone, "I didn't feel like a burden earlier today…"

Barnett smiled, "Good. Why didn't you?"

He looked over at her, "Will made this sort of special project for Sydney and I…work to take home – research we can do here. We haven't really had a chance to do much with it, but we worked on it for a long time this morning…"

"And? The work helps?"

"Yeah, it sort of takes my mind off of things…makes me feel useful – like I'm doing something proactive instead of waiting for things to happen to me. I can be injured and still do it. It's something I can control." He stopped momentarily and then looked up at her excitedly again, "And I walked. By myself…well part of the way. We walked all over the house and then I walked by myself back to the bed from the door," he said proudly.

"That's excellent Michael. See you are progressing. Walking is a great improvement. I want you to start making time daily to get back to your old routine as much as possible. Consider it another part of your homework."

Vaughn smiled, "A routine huh?"

"Yes."

He smirked, looking down, "Exercise…work…sex…work…sex…eat…" he left the rest open-ended.

Barnett laughed, "Well, hobbies and other enjoyable activities do help the healing process. Whichever things one enjoys are their own brand of normalcy. In essence, you're keeping the same routine when working and making love with Sydney that you had before this happened. Make a routine that feels like your old one, but with modifications due to your injuries. Michael," she stopped waiting until he looked at her again, "Learn to ask for support. Tell Sydney the truth. If you're in pain – tell her honestly what's going on. And even if there isn't anything she can do to make it better, she can still talk to you or hold you, or just the fact that she knows something that others don't can make you feel better. Sort of like your own perverse, intimate secret."

Vaughn smiled.

"And you need to start engaging in even more healthy behavior."

"Such as?"

"The normal sleeping and eating but your attitude as well. Yes, you're getting more positive, and that's great Michael, but being completely honest with Sydney and vice-versa is best. With your routine – talk to her – plan a routine. Work," she paused and then nodded, "Yes, sex can be on your new routine, exercising…but add uplifting things too – add in time to take a walk around the room. Put a spin on the exercises so they don't feel stilted or like you're just going through the motions. There's a line between being routine and being stuck in a rut, and then your attitude won't improve. Penciling in journal time would be superb as well," Barnett added smiling at him.

"I haven't done that much truthfully…"

"Communicating your experiences is a way to purge. The more details you write, the more you'll learn what you've overcome and how much you've healed since then."

"I sort of have this notion to just sit down and write the whole damn thing."

"Whatever works for you Michael, but you need to realize how much you've accomplished." Barnett regarded him a moment with an amused grin.

"What?" Vaughn finally asked.

"Well, I was going to tell you a story…"

"Go ahead."

"I was a gymnast in my younger days…quite the star actually. Whenever we did something new that we hadn't done before, or tried and succeeded with something, we were allowed to ring this bell and everyone would clap and cheer and we even had a song," she stopped to chuckle. "I was reminded of that while I was telling you about realizing what you've accomplished. The meaning behind it is essentially the same – it's a boost of confidence. Keeps you going."

Vaughn grinned lopsidedly at her, "So Sydney should get a bell?"

Barnett laughed, "Perhaps…or she could reward you in some other way."

"Like a cookie?"

"Ok, now you're just being an ass."

"Well! Cookies are good!"

Barnett smiled, "Whatever works. If you want a bell, I'm sure Sydney will ring it for you…" she stopped, after looking at the smile on Vaughn's face. "I think we're done for today Michael…remember to do your homework. I'll see you on Friday."

"Ok. Thanks."

"You're welcome." Barnett left the room, seeking out the other occupant of the house; leaving Vaughn to think about their session.


	48. Chapter 243: Shrunken Heads

**Chapter 243: Shrunken Heads**

"Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure." – Thomas Edison

"What we call progress is the exchange of one nuisance for another." – Havelock Ellis

"Progress everywhere today does seem to come so very heavily disguised as Chaos." – Joyce Grenfell

"All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem." – Martin Luther King, Jr.

* * *

Barnett didn't have to look very long for Sydney. Not only had their eyes met when Barnett had come out of the hall, but Sydney tried to cover it up by looking as though she'd been busily cleaning for the whole session. Trouble was, she was cleaning a kitchen that was already spotless.

"Sydney?"

"Hmm? Yeah?" Sydney said, turning around to face Barnett over the counter.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Sydney replied, smiling.

Barnett gave her a knowing look, "What did you do today?"

Sydney looked at her strangely, "Uhm…we got up, ate breakfast, worked…why do you ask? Something wrong with Vaughn today?"

"No – what do you plan on doing tomorrow?"

Sydney looked even more unsure, "Probably more of the same…why?"

"Well it would be good for Michael to start having a routine…"

"A routine? Different than what we've been doing? Something wrong with what we've been doing? I don't understand…"

Barnett smiled, "Do you think there's something wrong with the way things have been going?"

Sydney debated momentarily, "Well…no…I just…worry…I mean – is there something I've been doing wrong? Something that's been hurting him? Did he say something? I've been worried that he's in pain more than he tells me…I just…I've already made so many mistakes with him, I don't want to make anymore. I can't fix anything for him, and well…I feel guilty because it should be me sitting there instead of him. I wish I could do more…"

Barnett nodded, "You two are very alike. Until you learn to let go and embrace _everything_, you're going to be stuck in this rut. You have to let yourself completely fall and be at Michael's mercy. Are you honestly scared he wouldn't catch you? Wouldn't it be easier to just let it all out with each other – not waste all that time and energy on holding it inside – but spending all that time and energy being completely and truly together? Instead of trying to keep a part of yourselves locked away, hidden, realize that you're both going to understand and sometimes it's just easier that someone else knows. Admit that you keep things hidden and it's ok to be scared because you've been burned before. You both probably have the same fears – you need to be open enough to voice them to each other, acknowledge it…"

Sydney nodded, "I guess we do hide things even from each other…"

"Everyday is a new learning experience Sydney…but most of it's good…and with Michael, I'm sure you'll find it's even better."

"Thanks…really…I appreciate it…"

"My pleasure…I'll see you Friday."

Sydney watched Barnett walk out the door before walking off to the bedroom. When she entered, Vaughn was already looking at the doorway, smiling. "I was beginning to think you had run away to Mexico without me."

Sydney smiled back from the doorway, "No, Weiss and I don't leave until tomorrow…"

"Aww that's nice…"

She pushed away from the doorframe and sat down with him on the bed. "How did your session go?" she asked.

He grinned, "Good…how was yours?" he asked, turning to look at her.

"How did you…Guess we took a while…"

"It was sort of obvious, yes. Did she help?"

Sydney smiled, nodding, "Yeah, she did…I like her, she's very easy to talk to…kinda drags it out of you…"

Vaughn nodded back, "Yeah she has a way of doing that…I like her too…I don't mind talking to her. She helps – really helps."

"That's great Vaughn, I'm glad."

"I suppose we talked about the same topic then…"

Vaughn looked over at her again, "Communication…_everything_."

Sydney giggled at the way he said it in the same tone as Barnett, "Yeah…we do that don't we…hide things…hold back…"

"Yeah, I guess – I didn't think we really did, but she was right – if we did, I wouldn't have asked her."

"Right."

"So what do we do about it?"

"Well…we can talk about _everything_ right now if you want."

"Uhm…ok…" Vaughn looked over at her, "You wanna go first?" he asked with a grin.

Sydney smiled, "I can…"

"No, I think I should go first…"

"Ok…"

"Barnett said that we both have to stop feeling guilty over things we can't control and the things we can we have to communicate more on…"

"Yeah…it's hard to let go of guilt though."

"I know…and she said that if we have something that's scaring us – we should just talk about it – and then everything is honest…cause I know deep down if I tell you something, you're going to accept it…because you love me…and I feel the same way about you."

Sydney nodded, "Absolutely."

"So, then we have to stop being afraid to tell each other…I have to stop trying to protect you because I don't want you to know I'm in pain…and you have to stop trying to protect me because you don't want me to know you're close to a breakdown. And we have to apply it to everything…"

Sydney smiled and touched his cheek, "I think maybe you missed your calling – should have been a shrink."

"Well…no – I'm just pretty much taking what Barnett told me to heart – cause she's right…and I think…I think it scares me how much I need you…how much I love you – I've never loved anyone like I love you Sydney and it's scary to let someone in that far…so I try to make sure that anything that happens to me doesn't hurt you…"

"I know…Yeah, she said a lot of the same stuff to me…and yes, I do hold back…I think because I've been burned so much in the past, even though I love you so much, I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I've gotten so used to people betraying me and dying and being taken away, that I don't want to let myself completely fall for you…but I can't stop my heart from doing that…my mind tells me to put up a wall…to protect you…but…well…can't stop the flood," she said with a smile, turning to look at him again.

Vaughn took her hand, but neither said anything for a while, just thinking about what the other had said, what they had admitted. Finally he said quietly, "Well…I think that was pretty good for our first honest discussion…"

She looked over at him and smiled, "Yeah, I think we did well…"

"That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

"No, but things usually aren't difficult between us."

"Funny then…since we keep holding back…"

"Well, we're not going to do that anymore."

Vaughn smiled and turned to her, accepting a waiting kiss. When the pulled back, he said, "I love you."

"I love you too…"

She smiled as a thought visibly made it's way to his mind. He said suddenly, "You have to get a bell…"

Sydney chuckled, "What? A bell? What for?"

Vaughn laughed, "Oh…well…ok – Barnett told me this story – which isn't really all that relevant, though amusing – anyway – she started off telling me part of my new homework is to make a daily routine that resemble my old one…so it's supposed to include like all the normal stuff, but adding our new honesty and making things more interesting – like mixing it up and making it not…routine-like…" he stopped laughing again, "You know what I mean?"

"Yes…I think I do…and what does this have to do with a bell again?"

"Oh…well Barnett said that I have to start realizing all I've accomplished – her story was about ringing this bell when they accomplished something." He stopped when he saw the amused look on her face, "Yeah, don't ask –anyway – you don't have to get a bell – it can be anything…but like – I'm supposed to…I don't know…"

"Be rewarded?"

"Yeah, something like that…"

Sydney grinned, "I can think of a few rewards Vaughn…"

He turned to her again and adopted the same grin, "I'm sure you can…I can too."

"Well, you might need a reward later…all that you've accomplished today…"

Vaughn smiled, "I'll take it…"

"So are we supposed to write this down? The routine?"

"Yeah, I think so…like the charts we used to have…"

"Ok, let me get some paper, and we can start."


	49. Chapter 244: Charting New Territory

**Chapter 244: Charting New Territory**

"They're almost inseparable. Sometimes it takes ten people to separate them." – Anonymous

"The less routine the more life." – Amos Bronson Alcott

"The secret of love is seeking variety in your life together, and never letting routine chords dull the melody of your romance." – Anonymous

* * *

Sydney left and returned before Vaughn knew she was gone. She sat down again next to him and nuzzled his shoulder, settling in. "Ok…how do you want to do the routine?"

"Uhm…well…are we really going to make another geek chart?"

Sydney smiled, "Geek chart?"

"Well…I mean – it's a chart…but the sex that will be on it cancels the geek factor."

"Ok…so…do you want blocks of time?"

"No…no blocks – too rut-inducing…maybe just a list – we could do a daily list of stuff we should do but not block any specific time off…"

"That sounds good…like a to-do list sort of…flexible."

"Right…"

"Ok, should we do tomorrow's list?"

"Sure."

"Ok…what do we have to do tomorrow?"

"Sex is going to be the first thing on every list…" Vaughn stated flatly.

Sydney smirked and looked at him, "Got it." She wrote 'Sex' on the top of the list, "What else?"

"Exercise…but we have to be specific…"

"Ok…what kind of exercise?"

Vaughn thought a moment, "I think the more appropriate question is what kind of sex?"

Sydney laughed loudly, "Ok, we can be specific about that…what kind of sex should we have tomorrow?"

"Uhm…" he thought again, before he turned to Sydney with a devilish look in his eyes.

"What?"

"I miss hockey…"

Sydney look at him sympathetically, "I know honey…"

"Well – I want to be reminded of it…so I think we need to have ice sex."

"Ice sex?" Sydney said with a chuckle.

"Mmmhmm – make sure we have plenty of ice cubes…" he said with a raised brow.

She smiled back and got off the bed immediately, "I'll check now!" she yelled on her way out the door.

He laughed as she ran off and came back, "How's the ice situation?"

"It's a go!" Sydney said with a thumbs up. She sat down by him again and crossed off 'Sex' and wrote 'Ice Sex' instead. She looked back at him, "What else?"

"Exercise…walking…around the patio…"

Sydney looked unsure at first, but wrote down 'Patio Walk.' She looked back at him, "Are we supposed to write everything down? Like eating, baths, all that?"

"I guess…bath has to be on there and eating too…after that ice sex, we're gonna be hungry."

She smiled and wrote down those two items on the list. "What else?"

"You want work on there?"

"Sure we can work tomorrow too…anything else?"

"I think we should play Xbox…just you and me."

Sydney smiled, "Ok, we can do that…" She looked back, "That it?"

"I guess – the sex will take up a good portion of the day…then with the bath…and the exercise, eating…we won't have time to do much else…"

She grinned and leaned deliberately over him to put the list on the nightstand. Vaughn looked down at her form sprawled across his lap. She moved back slowly, using his thighs for leverage and squeezing them in a completely obvious manner. He trailed his hand up her bare arm, making her shiver and falter slightly in her calculated maneuvering. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and moved back, "Shit Vaughn…we have to stop…"

He verbally let out a whine, "Syyyyyd…"

"Sorry honey," she said, giving him one last good squeeze for effect, "If Will and Francie catch us again…seriously, they can't catch us again," she said with a short laugh.

"Alllllright…FINE," he said huffily. "We're going to bed early though."

"Deal. Maybe I should start diner," she said thoughtfully.

"I should get up…I haven't really moved all day."

She looked over at him as she got off the bed, "You think you can sit on a stool in the kitchen?"

"Uhm, I can try…"

"Well – you can help with dinner if you want. It'll get you up and walking for a bit too…"

"Sure."

"Ok, let's get you up." She moved to help him stand.

"I wanna do it."

"Ok."

"You go ahead…"

Sydney looked at him unsurely.

"Go, I'll be fine. If you hear a crash…well…come pick me up," he said with a smile.

"That wasn't terribly funny…"

"No, I know – I'll be fine…I have to do this."

"Ok, ok."

Sydney walked out, leaving Vaughn to make the trek to the kitchen by himself.

Once she got to the kitchen, she tried to busy herself getting pans out and deciding on what to make, but her thoughts kept moving her back to the counter, trying to peer over it and see Vaughn's progress without being conspicuous. She figured she better stop and look busy, because pretty soon she'd fall over the counter and then would confirm what she was sure he already knew. She tried to patiently wait it out, busying herself once again with getting out chicken and a lemon to slice. Finally she could take no more and turned to move out into the hall.

"Jesus!" she cried, making Vaughn jump.

"What?" he asked, smiling at her from the stool on the opposite side of the counter.

She smiled and made her way to his side, grabbing his face and planting an open mouthed kiss on his lips.

He smiled as they parted, breathlessly looking up at her, her hands still framing his stubbly face.

"You were pretty quiet there…snuck up on me Sexy Secret Agent Man."

He smiled, "What you didn't think I'd make it?"

She let one of her hands thread into the hair by the back of his neck while her other pulled him into a gentle hug, "I was a little…worried, yes. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks."

"Did it hurt? Was it hard to walk all that way?" she asked, letting him go and sitting down on the stool next to him.

"It was a little tense…"

She looked at him for a moment before she spoke, "We gonna do that honesty thing?"

He smiled, "Hurt like hell but I'm glad I made it through all the dizziness and nausea that assaulted me on my way to this stool. How's that?"

Sydney smiled and kissed him again, "Good."

"And you?"

"I was worried beyond belief and wanted to run into the hall and help you walk here…but I restrained myself and instead nearly killed myself falling over the counter to try to track your progress."

Vaughn laughed, "Honesty is kinda fun."

Sydney joined in the laughter, "Yes…it's easier too…" She watched him a minute as he adjusted to sitting on the stool, "You ok here?"

"Yeah, it's different…"

"Does it hurt to sit on the stools?"

"A little bit yeah…"

"A little bit?" she asked knowingly.

He chuckled, "I think this honesty thing is gonna get me into trouble…"

She smiled but her face stayed the same.

"It's something I need to adjust to. I've been in a bed for weeks Syd, sitting on a stool is gonna take a little getting used to."

"Not at the expense of your health – if it's too soon, you're moving."

Vaughn smiled and grabbed her hand, "I'm ok. It hurts yes, but it's nothing I can't handle." He waited a moment, "That's the truth…"

She smiled back at him, "Ok…do you need anything? To sit here I mean…I can get you a pillow…"

"That might help…" he said with a nod.

"Ok, stay here."

Vaughn smiled, "I think I've walked enough for a while, I'll just relax here…"

Sydney smirked, "Jerk."

She came back with a pillow and gently put it between his injured back and the back of the stool. "Is that better?"

"Yeah, much."

"K…good…how much does it hurt now?"

Vaughn laughed, "It's better."

"You're gonna tell me right?" Sydney asked with a glare.

"Yes, I will…if it's bad I will…I promise."

"Ok…"


	50. Chapter 245: Quacking Up: What No Echo?

**Chapter 245: Quacking Up: What No Echo?**

"Women are like stars, there are millions of them out there, but only one can make your dreams come true." – Unknown

"That's it, no more Mr. Nice Duck." – Howard T. Duck

"Hockey is murder on ice." – Jim Murray

* * *

"What's for dinner?"

Sydney got up and went around the counter; "I was thinking lemon chicken over rice…maybe a salad…"

"Wine?"

She chuckled, "Ok, you can have a glass of wine."

"Score…so am I just supervising the dinner or can I do something one-handed?"

Sydney raised a brow, "Well there's plenty you can do one-handed…how about the salad…somebody's gotta put it in the bowls."

"Sure, I just need bowls and the salad," he said with a smirk.

"Just because you've walked and are all proud of yourself…no need to get cocky."

Vaughn smiled and waited until she placed the articles in front of him.

While he was busy with the salad she set to getting the chicken ready to put in the oven. When she was done and the chicken was in the oven, she turned back to him and put the bowls of salad he had studiously prepared in the refrigerator for later.

"Ok, we've got about…40 minutes until I have to make the rice. What do you want to do until then?"

"Doesn't matter…"

"Wanna play Xbox? See if you can beat me?"

Vaughn smiled, "What do you wanna play?"

"What do you wanna lose at?"

"Oooooh I sense a challenge there…"

"You bet."

"Hockey."

"Hockey it is, let's go to the challenge room otherwise known as our comfy living room."

Vaughn smiled and accepted her hand as she helped him off the stool.

"You wanna walk on your own again?"

"Yeah, I wanna try."

"Ok, you want me to wait, walk with you, leave you alone and look the other way…what."

Vaughn chuckled, "You can walk with me…but it'll be slow…"

"Slow's fine with me."

"Good…shall we?"

"Let's," Sydney said with a smile, walking a less than leisurely pace with him. She could tell that his walk was stabilizing, his confidence in making the steps growing each time he made even a small trek.

When he made it up the two steps that led to the living room, she couldn't stop the huge smile that was breaking out. She had all to do not to maul him on the spot when he eased down heavily on the couch.

He was slightly out of breath, winded; but he seemed to be doing quite well.

"You need anything? Oxygen? Water?" she asked, her hand on the back of his neck.

"Uhm water would be good. I think I'm ok without the oxygen…just need to catch my breath."

"Ok, I'll get you some water," Sydney said as she got off the couch and retrieved a glass of ice water for him. "Here honey."

He took the glass and drank a few sips, reclining more on the couch and letting his head rest on the back.

She waited patiently again, letting him cool down and get his breathing back to normal. When he looked over at her and smiled, she knew he was ok.

"You wanna play now?" she asked.

"Sure."

Sydney smiled and kissed him, getting off the couch to start the unit and grab the controllers. She handed him his controller and they started the game.

"Are you gonna be the Kings?" she asked.

"Do I need to answer that?"

She smiled, "Hmm…who should I be…OH! I know!" She made her choice and the game began.

Vaughn snorted when he saw whom he was playing against, "The Ducks?"

"Yeah…so?"

"Nothing…" he said with a grin.

"What?"

"Nothing!" he looked over at her, "I'm just amused you picked the team that ya know…they did the Disney movies for…"

"Those were good movies!" Sydney said excitedly.

"Whatever you say honey….it's also ya know…"

"What?"

"Will…ducks…"

She helped him out of his sling and then promptly smacked him in the right shoulder.

"What was that for?"

"Dissing my Ducks!"

"Ok, I'm sorry…should we play now?"

"Yes, we can play now that you've appeased the Duck gods."

Vaughn shook his head and nodded, "Ok…let's start."

"Ok…do I push this button to check you?" Sydney asked.

Vaughn looked over at her with a grin, "Uhm no…you push this one…" he said pointing to a different button.

"Ok! Go!"

The game started and Sydney sped her player over towards one of Vaughn's and pressed the button Vaughn had pointed out. "HEY!" she said, looking over at him with a scowl.

Vaughn grinned back at her, "What?" he asked innocently.

"You did that on purpose!" Sydney yelled, "Now look – I gave you the puck!"

"Hey…just trying to level the playing field since you're out to check me before the game started."

She scowled more and turned back to the screen, "Fine…you're going down…oh yes you are," Sydney said nodding and looking determinedly at the screen.

Vaughn had all to do not to laugh out loud, sitting there watching her get huffy over his deliberate act of sabotage.

Sydney took this game very seriously, and Vaughn tried to pull back on his hockey skills as much as he could without being outrightly obvious. He intentionally shot wide on a few goal attempts, trying to act disappointed when he 'missed.'

Sydney seemed to love the fact that she was beating him, and seemingly had no clue that he was being less than proficient.

"HA!" she said for the fourth time, "SCORE!" She looked triumphantly over at him and stuck her tongue out. "Take that check man!"

He chuckled and shook his head, "Well when you have a bad day in hockey…it's usually really bad…"

"I WON!" She said, getting up and doing a victory dance in front of him. "I am SO telling Will I beat you!"

Vaughn laughed again, setting the controller on the couch and grabbing her arm that was rapidly flying around in her dance. She was rather startled when he pulled her over to him. She let out a small gasp as she looked at him from where she landed, half on his chest.

"Watch your celebration missy…or you might not get any stick action…as you so eloquently said a few days ago…"

"Hmm…does hockey make you demanding Mr. Vaughn?"

"It might…all that aggression does have to have an outlet…"

Sydney smiled and kissed him, pulling back suddenly after only a few kisses.

"Wha?"

"Dinner…we can't be caught again Vaughn…"

"Aw COME ON!"

Sydney giggled as she walked to the kitchen, checking the chicken and getting out the materials to finish the dinner.

"You need help?" Vaughn called from the living room.

"Nope…you just take it easy now. I don't want you to over do it."

Sydney had just started the rice when Will and Francie walked in the door. She bounded over happily, practically skipping and met them, half ambushing them in the doorway. "I beat Vaughn at hockey!" she said proudly, her smile shining as she excitedly told her friends.

Will stopped talking and looked at Francie and then back at Sydney, "Uhm…congratulations?"

Sydney smacked him, "You're just jealous!"

Francie shook her head and pushed past the two, "You started dinner?"

Sydney stopped ragging on Will long enough to let him get in the door and then went back to the kitchen, "It'll be done in a few minutes."

"Wow…"

"Vaughn and I are capable of making dinner…" Sydney said.

Will snorted, "Yeah if you can get out of bed long enough."

"Watch it!" Sydney said with a smile.

"So where is the defeated?" Will asked.

"He's right here," Vaughn said, raising his right and hanging his head in shame.

Will smiled at the girls and made his way over to the couch, "My condolences."

"Thanks," Vaughn said smiling at Will as he took a seat next to him.

"So you let her win…" Will said, not asking it in question form and trying to keep his voice low.

Vaughn smiled, "Maybe…"

"Ok boys – time for dinner…" Sydney said as she encircled Vaughn's neck and planted a kiss on his cheek from her vantage point behind him.

"Will?" Vaughn asked as Sydney let him go.

"Yeah?"

"Give me a hand…"

Will looked unsurely at Sydney but she nodded and Will extended his hand to Vaughn. Vaughn gripped his hand and Will helped pull him up to a standing position. When he was standing, Will looked at him, "Ok…now what?"

"Now you go to the table…" Vaughn said with a smile.

Will returned a shaky smile but didn't move.

Vaughn looked at Sydney, "Can we eat outside?"

She smiled, "Sure…we'll bring it out…" With that she turned and walked back to the kitchen, leaving Will standing like a deer in headlights, staring at the grinning form of Vaughn in front of him.


	51. Chapter 246: Speak Much?

**Chapter 246: Speak Much?**

"The limits of my language means the limits of my world." – Ludwig Wittgenstein

"...when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it." – Christopher Morley

"We need a president who's fluent in at least one language." – Buck Henry

"If you can speak three languages you're trilingual. If you can speak two languages you're bilingual. If you can speak only one language you're an American." – Author Unknown

* * *

"It's ok Will…I have to start walking sometime…"

Will gave him another shaky smile, "Well…yeah, I realize that but do you have to do it on my watch? Sydney'll kill me if something happens to you."

"If something happens – it will be because I did it, not you."

"But…I'd feel responsible…like I didn't catch you or something."

"You have two choices Will. One – you can move out of my way and walk with me. If I start to fall – you'll be there. Two – you can stand there like a dope and I'll just push right past you. So you can help or stay – either way – I'm walking outside." With that, Vaughn started to walk.

Will made his decision instantly, falling into a slow stride beside Vaughn, trying not to shove his arms out to catch him on every step.

"You're a pretty determined bastard when you wanna be, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Vaughn said with a smile and a glance at Will.

The glance was a mistake however, and broke his walking concentration. Will grabbed his arm immediately and was going to turn him around. Vaughn stopped, and looked at Will again, "No, it's ok…I'm ok…let go."

Will hesitantly let go of his arm and Vaughn started to walk again.

"What was that?"

"That was me not completely figuring out this whole walking thing yet…if I don't focus on nothing, I get dizzy…"

"What do you mean 'focus on nothing?'" Will asked as they stopped in front of the chairs outside.

Vaughn let Will help him into the chair and then looked up at him, "Thanks…if I focus on one object, then as it goes by, it's like I get stuck on that one thing…and then I get dizzy…or like before I focused on Sydney, I couldn't look away or I'd get dizzy. So, I have to figure out a way to walk where I look at nothing, try not to focus on any one thing, and then I'm ok."

Will nodded, "Got it." He smiled, "You're doing really great ya know."

Vaughn returned the smile, "Thanks, I appreciate that." He paused and grinned, "Did Sydney tell you about the bell?"

Will looked at him confused, "Bell?"

"Yeah…I just wondered if maybe she did…"

"No…what about a bell?"

Vaughn chuckled, "Nothing, Barnett just told me this story today about accomplishment."

Will stared with his brow furrowed, "I don't get it."

"When they did something well in her story – they got to ring this bell – it was a metaphor for recognizing accomplishments. I thought maybe Sydney decided to have everyone in the house be my cheerleaders."

"Nope…I cheer on my own," Will said with a grin.

"Thanks Will. Really."

"My pleasure."

Sydney and Francie brought dinner out a few minutes later, getting everything situated before they all sat down to eat.

"This is really great Syd," Francie said.

"Yeah, really…good job," Will echoed.

"Vaughn did the salad," Sydney said with a smile in his direction.

Will winked at Vaughn, "DING DING."

Sydney laughed, "You told him?"

"Yeah, I thought you might have cause he was being awfully complimentary…"

"I wouldn't do that."

Vaughn smiled, "Well…I thought you might have – it's not divulging anything super personal."

Sydney smiled back, "I wouldn't have mentioned it unless you told me to or I thought they really needed to participate."

Francie looked between the other people outside, "What the hell's going on? What are you all talking about?"

"Sorry…" Sydney said with a laugh, "it's about accomplishment…Barnett told him a story about this recognizing accomplishments…there was a joke about me ringing a bell when he did something well…so Will was kind enough to 'ding' for us."

"I'll be sound effects man any day."

"Thanks Will," Vaughn said with a smile.

Francie grinned, "Ok…not to change the subject, because it's kinda the same, but…"

"What?" Sydney asked.

"I want to know about your jobs…like what you do…"

"Well, we can't tell you a lot…" Sydney said, "I'm sorry…but…"

"No, I don't mean like missions and shit like that – like…what do you DO…what don't I know?"

Sydney thought a minute, "Well probably a lot…I couldn't tell you anything before."

"Well tell me now."

"Uhm…what do you want to know?"

"How did you start working for the CIA?"

Sydney smiled, "Well…I was recruited in college…but they were evil."

"Huh?"

Sydney laughed, "Yeah I didn't know it at the time, the man that took Vaughn – that did this to him – he's the one who was the head of what you might call the evil branch of the non-CIA…When I met Vaughn, that's when I started to work for the real CIA."

"After Danny died…"

"Right. Then I was a double. Vaughn was my handler." Sydney said smiling at Vaughn who was chewing a bite of chicken.

"And Michael, what about you?"

"Well, my dad was CIA – died in the line of duty. I sort of fell into it I guess."

"What did you do as Sydney's handler?"

"I detailed counter missions, acted like a liaison, assisted in the field sometimes…worried constantly…"

"Awwww."

"Yeah, he's a sweetie," Sydney said, leaning over to kiss him.

"Where do you go on missions?"

"All over," Sydney said.

"You ever get hurt?" Francie asked, "Other than this time obviously," she added, gesturing to Vaughn.

Sydney smirked, "Well let's say I should own stock in Cover Girl by now."

"Wow…so…what would happen? How'd you get hurt?"

"Well if a mission went sour or if we encountered hostiles…you have to fight…sometimes, you'd get hurt in the process."

"Wow…what's the worst?"

Sydney frowned, thinking, "This for Vaughn."

He nodded grimly while chewing his food.

"For me…I have a lot of scars…cuts…gunshot wounds…"

"Really?!" Francie asked exasperatedly.

"Yeah really…both Vaughn and I have been shot. Luckily a lot of the time they were shoulders or they hit non-vital parts or we had vests on…"

"I think the scars you can't see are worse…" Vaughn said quietly, his fork resting on the plate.

Sydney reached over and touched his cheek, smiling a tight lipped smile, "Yeah…"

The outdoors had never been so quiet; it seemed the whole ecosystem had taken a moment of silence.

"I got a paper cut at work yesterday…" Will said suddenly, completely breaking the silence and lightening the mood.

Vaughn laughed, "Nice Will."

He smiled, looking over at Francie.

"You're never going to be in the field…got it?"

He softened his smile, "The desk is my domain honey. Never fear, only paper cuts for me."

"Good," Francie nodded, content with his answer.

Sydney smiled at Will, "He did get beat up that once…"

Will smiled, "HA! See! I was in the field…kinda…"

"The non-drug bust you mean?" Francie asked.

"Yes…my conviction for the habit I never had. Thankfully that didn't affect any government employee status…at least not at the end."

"I speak 18 languages," Sydney said as she thought out loud.

"Get out!"

"Nope…really…"

"Which ones?"

"English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, German, Romanian, Italian, Sign Language, Swedish, Indonesian, Hungarian, Japanese, Vzbeck, Punjabi, Vietnamese…"

Francie looked at her in awe, "Michael, what about you?"

"Four."

"Which ones?"

"English, French, Spanish and Italian…I can get by with a few others…but those are the ones I know best."

Will piped up, "I speak two."

Francie shot him a look, "English and what else?"

"Well…I know 'Hola,' 'taco,' 'Doritos,' 'Chihuahua,' 'chimichanga,' 'quesadilla.' That's gotta count for Spanish right?"

Francie smiled, patting his arm, "Delusion is the best medicine honey."

"Two languages I tell ya – TWO."

Vaughn and Sydney laughed, silently thanking Will for the breaks in the all-too serious subject matter.


	52. Chapter 247: What Every Roommate Needs t

As with the other '47' chapter – this chapter also contains clues as to what is coming up. The last time I did this, some of you may think otherwise, I think the clue was too easy. Or not too easy, but gave away too much information (no telling!) So, hehe this chapter has three clues. They are hidden in links in this chapter somewhere...and they will lead you to a thread on sd-1 that I have specially made for the clues. There, are listed three different sets of instructions. The clues are all hidden in other websites. You must follow the clue instructions to find three words. Those three words are the answers to the clues. Those three words that you are left with are little pieces of something that's coming up. You can PM or email me with your guesses as to what the three connected words might mean for the upcoming stuff. If you have questions about the clues or how to find them - let me know. (The clues are all one the same page - but the three links in this chapter will directly link you to the specific clue. So, really - you'd only have to click on one of the links to take you to that thread) I hope this is not confusing...lol

**Chapter 247: What Every Roommate Needs to Know…**

"He early on let her know who is the boss. He looked her right in the eye and clearly said, 'You're the boss.'" – Anonymous

"Irrigation of the land with seawater desalinated by fusion power is ancient. It's called rain." – Michael McClary

"The only thing wrong with being an atheist is that there's nobody to talk to during an orgasm." – Author Unknown

* * *

Will and Francie volunteered to take the dishes inside, leaving Vaughn and Sydney a few moments to themselves.

"You ok?" Sydney asked.

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah, I'm ok."

"You getting cold or anything? We can go in…"

"No, it's like 85 Sydney…I'm fine…" he said with a smirk.

"Ok…well I just don't want you to overdo it…you walked all that ways today…"

"I'll be ok."

"Ok…let me know if you start to feel…bad or whatever."

"I will."

Sydney smiled and nodded as Will poked his head out of the door, "You guys want dessert? I got ice cream sandwiches the other day…"

"Ooo," Vaughn said happily, looking at Sydney, "Can I have one of those?"

She chuckled, "Yeah, you can have one. I'll take one too Will."

"Got it – coming right up."

Will and Francie returned a few minutes later with the sandwiches, half melting from the temperature outside.

"What are we gonna do tonight?" Will asked.

"What do you wanna do tonight Will?" Sydney asked with a grin.

Will chuckled, "Doesn't matter…we can play Xbox," he suggested with a sly smile.

"Yeah, I could beat Vaughn again," Sydney said proudly, making Vaughn shake his head.

"We could play a different game," Francie suggested.

"Such as?" Will asked with a raised brow.

Sydney smiled at the interaction between her friends as the dissolved into a discussion about the merits of video games versus board games and the like. Sydney looked over at Vaughn and chuckled as she saw him lick the dripping ice cream off of his hand.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing…having a little problem controlling your ice cream sandwich there?"

"You want to help?" he asked with a suggestive glance.

She smiled, "I have my own…to lick…"

"You're bad…don't you want to lick mine?" Vaughn looked over at Sydney and suddenly realized that they were once again in a somewhat silent stage. He glanced over at Will and Francie. Francie was trying to hold in her giggles as Will shook his head repeatedly and scrunched his mouth into a dilapidated smirk.

"You two never quit do ya?" he asked.

Vaughn smiled, deliberately and slowly licking up the side of the sandwich, "Nope…don't intend to either."

Sydney giggled as she managed her own rapidly melting ice cream.

"Ok…let's bring this back to…well…whatever normal can be considered with you two sexual fiends in the same airspace."

Vaughn smiled, "Ok what should we do?"

"Let's play truth or dare!" Will said.

Vaughn groaned, "Will…I can't play truth or dare – unless you dare me to like have a staring contest or something."

Will's brow furrowed, "Well we can just do 'truth' then."

"Yeah, THAT'LL be fun…" Sydney snorted.

"Hey!" Will said, "I'm being the idea man here – so you just suck it up and play, ok?"

Sydney giggled, "It has to be more lively than that Will."

Will smirked, "Fine – then we'll do the sexual version of truth or dare, minus the dare…"

Sydney stopped giggling; "I don't think that's a good idea…we've traumatized you enough."

Francie squealed, "NO! It'll be fun! Come on!"

Sydney looked at Vaughn who shrugged.

Will added, "What if we all write questions and like put them in a hat. Then – it's completely random…"

"Ok…fine." Sydney relented.

"Great," Will said, "I'll get paper…and a hat."

He returned with the items, handing paper and pen to Francie and Sydney.

He stopped in front of Vaughn. "I'll tell Sydney what to write," Vaughn said.

Will nodded and took his seat again, busily writing questions on the paper.

Once everyone had the questions written, Will collected the pieces in the hat and shook the hat in an effort to mix up the questions. Will smiled, "Ok. Who wants to go first?"

"You do," Sydney said looking at him, "But what are the rules? You answer whatever one you get?"

"Yeah, but then that person gets to pick someone else who also has to answer – then they go next...and you can't ask the person who asks you…"

"That's complicated," Francie looked at Will, "You just come up with that now?"

Will shrugged, "Ok, I'll go first…" He set the hat down on the table and picked a piece of paper out of the hat.

"You have to read the question out loud," Vaughn offered as Will read his question.

Will smiled, "Right…'Who was your first kiss and how old were you?' Uhm…I was 11 and her name was Lori White." He paused and looked at Sydney, "You go."

Sydney smiled, "I was 15…his name was Matt Crittenden." She smiled and grabbed the hat, "'Have you ever been in a threesome? If yes, when/where? If no, would you ever?' No, I haven't ever had one…and I only need one man to satisfy my needs," she said smirking at Vaughn. "Francie – you go."

Francie smirked, "Once…almost yes, in college…we were drunk…and no, I don't think I'd do it again…"

Will looked over at her, "Was it with another chick? Cause I could get into that…"

Francie shot him a look and took her a piece of paper out of the hat, "'Have you ever faked an orgasm?'" Francie winced, "Yes…" Then she quickly moved ahead, "Vaughn – you go."

"Thanks…no, I don't believe I have…" he said with a smirk. Sydney moved the hat over to him so he could pick a question, "'Have you ever had a one night stand?' Yes… I have." He turned to Sydney, "Syd…"

She smirked at him, "Yes Michael, I have…" She grinned and took a question out of the hat, "'Have you ever engaged in a BDSM experience?'" Sydney giggled, "Do missions count?"

Will snickered and said under his breath, "Taking the work home…"

"No…" Vaughn said quickly with a smirk.

"Well…" She said thinking, "I suppose what we did the other day was a mild form of it…but never hardcore, no." She looked at Vaughn and then at Will and Francie. Will had the most guilty smile one could have, "Will…you go next."

"Uhm…not yet," he replied with a suggestive glance at Francie. She pursed her lips and smacked him on the arm, "That's the spirit! Now if we can just transfer that…" Francie leaned over and Will moved out of her reach, "Ok, my turn to pick one…'Have your parents ever caught you having sex?' No, but Amy caught me…and then blabbed it out at the dinner table…it was bad," he said shaking his head. "Francie?"

"No, he jumped out of the window fast enough before my dad caught him…he would have been dead otherwise…literally…" She reached for the hat, "'Have you ever been skinny dipping?' No, I haven't…Syd? What about you?"

Sydney blushed, "Yup…I have been…" Before Vaughn could say anything she grabbed the hat, "'What's the strangest place you've ever had sex?'" Sydney chuckled, "Uhm…I think the hospital bathroom definitely ranks up there…"

Vaughn smirked as Will and Francie looked at the pair. Will couldn't resist, "The hospital BATHROOM?"

Vaughn nodded.

"When was this?"

Sydney smiled, "When he was still at the first hospital…actually, that was one of the first times we made love after he got back…"

"IN the hospital?" Will asked, still with a sense of astonishment.

"Yes Will, IN the hospital…bed…bathroom…that was it I think…"

"Covered enough of the hospital ya think?" he asked flippantly.

Vaughn snorted, "No, I think when I'm better we'll go back and cover more ground."

Sydney smiled at Vaughn and then looked back at Will, "And yourself? Strangest place?"

He smiled, "Knocking over various food articles in the food pantry was a distinctly different experience...the cooler was also…different," he said with a wink at Francie. He picked a question out of the hat, "'What's the largest number of orgasms you've had in one night?' Like…four?" he said, counting in his head.

"Is that a question?" Sydney asked giggling.

"Fine…" he said with a look towards Vaughn, "Mike…how about you?"

Vaughn smirked, "More than four…"

Will scoffed, "How many more?"

Francie piped up, "More than ten?"

Vaughn grinned, "Yeah…"

Francie looked at Will, "Damn…"

"More than TEN?" Will asked exasperatedly, "Seriously?"

Sydney snorted, bringing Will's attention to her, "Really? Syd…Jesus…"

"Yeah, that's what I said," Vaughn added quickly. Sydney passed him the hat while Will recovered from the new information, still shaking his head and muttering to himself. "'Have you ever used handcuffs during sex?'" Vaughn looked at Will, "Yes…Francie?"

Francie blushed, "Uhm…yeah…k – I get to pick…"

"Wait a second," Will said, stopping her, "When did you use handcuffs? Cause it wasn't with me! How come we've never used handcuffs?!"

Francie looked at him nervously, "We'll talk about when I used them later, k?"

Will's open-mouthed look of shock broke and he looked at Vaughn, "Hey – can I borrow your handcuffs?"

"If you promise to bring them back clean…" Vaughn said with a straight face that sent Sydney into a fit of giggles.

Francie grabbed a piece of paper quickly, trying to take the limelight off of herself, "'Have you ever had sex with a married person?' Oh man…"

"What?!" Will shrieked, completely ruining Francie's chances of a quick escape out of the question.

"I didn't know he was married ok!? It was an accident…"

"Ok…stop…I don't want to know anymore…"

Francie smirked, "Syd…what about you?"

"Nope…" She reached into the hat and pulled out her question, "Oh my God…'What form of birth control to you currently use?' Who put that one in there!?" Sydney asked, looking over at a grinning Will, "You're terrible…I use the wonderful industrial-strength CIA non-pregnancy brand…Francie?"

Francie looked at Will, "Well, I was on the pill, but now that Will is going to be sleeping on the couch, I don't need anything…"

"Shit! Come on!" Will whined.

"Yeah…well should have thought about that before you made all these questions!"

"You're the one that has all the explaining to do!"

"Watch it!" Francie countered.

Sydney laughed and looked over at Vaughn, "We should probably get you inside baby."

"Ok," Vaughn relented, smiling and accepting the hand she offered him.

"Yeah…good place to stop," Will added, "before I get into any more trouble…"

Francie turned to look at him as Sydney watched Vaughn start to walk back into the house, "Too late…"

"Yeah," Will said with a sigh, smiling and following her inside.


	53. Chapter 248: Doorway of Perception

**Chapter 248: Doorway of Perception**

"All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams." – Elias Canetti

"Dreams are answers to questions we haven't yet figured out how to ask." – The X-Files

"Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together." – Eugene Ionesco

* * *

"You're really into this walking thing Vaughn," Sydney said as she watched Vaughn sit on the bed.

"Yeah, well I want to get around by myself…but it's getting…really tiring now," he said, wincing and out of breath.

Sydney moved over to him and kneeled down, "Well…you've walked more today than you have in the whole time you've been home…and the weeks you were gone…that's huge Vaughn…"

He smiled and looked around the room, "Where's the bell?"

Sydney laughed, "Really honey…it's huge…take it easy now…don't hurt yourself…"

Vaughn nodded, "I know…but when I start, it's hard to stop…"

"I know…just be careful…" she smiled and touched his cheek, "Let's get you changed."

Vaughn nodded again and waited patiently as she got him dressed for bed. She helped him move back on the bed and tucked the oxygen tube under his nose with a smile. She ran her hand through his hair before standing and getting changed herself.

She got their toothbrushes from the bathroom and with all necessary tasks completed, she went to join him in the bed. Once he was settled, she turned off the lamp on the nightstand and looked up at him from her spot on his chest.

"What?" he asked.

She smiled, "Nothing…just…love you…"

He smiled back at her, moving a stray lock of hair from her face with his right hand, "Likewise…"

She pressed her lips into his chest, "Just had to tell you…"

"Thanks…the feeling is quite mutual…"

"Bob," she said and put her head down.

Vaughn thought a moment, lost in confusion, "Who's Bob?"

Sydney picked her head up and looked at him, "Bob…like 'no prob Bob.' You've never heard that before?"

Vaughn smiled, "You're one strange girl Sydney Bristow…"

Sydney smirked and kissed him impulsively before settling herself back on his chest, "Yeah…but you love me anyway…"

"Yes, I do…"

"You're one to talk Mr. Heinz…Mr. Bacon…Mr.–"

"I get the idea," he said, making her look at him again, "Goodnight Sydney…"

"Night Vaughn."

Sydney watched as his breathing slowed and his body relaxed into sleep. It didn't take long before he was sleeping soundly, the copious amount of exercise tiring his unaccustomed body to the point of an eased and swift somnolence. She replayed the events of the day in her mind, watching them like a movie fading…soon, the finer details would be lost, but the important things, Vaughn's accomplishments, their honesty…those would be ingrained forever. She wondered, as she watched him sleep, what he would do next? What would tomorrow bring? She thought about their 'to-do' list for tomorrow, looking forward in particular to certain event with ice…She giggled softly, careful not to wake him as she devised ways of using the wonderful frozen articles. When she finally succumbed to slumber, there was a smile playing on her face, her body cuddled close to Vaughn's, her mind already dreaming…

Vaughn was cold. He reached for Sydney, not feeling her lying beside him. His arm flailed at empty air, no body was next to him. He opened his eyes, searching in the dim light for where Sydney had gone. The room, however, was not dim, it was dark, pitch black…and cold…dank…musty. His hand slid against hard, cement floor and not soft cotton. He sat up, wondering why the effort did not cause him intense pain. When his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, he could faintly make out shadows along the walls…the floor was wet…

He looked to his right instinctively, like he had been there before, craning his neck in the darkness and carefully crawled along the floor, the freezing surface turning his body to ice. His hands hit the wall, damp and slimy, and he moved them along the surface, searching for something…

Suddenly, the wall gave way…an indent…a door…he pushed on the door, not really expecting it to yield under the pressure, but yield it did. Gray light poured into the room, making it even duller and grayer than it had been before. He shielded his eyes against the light, his bare feet scrapping against the grainy surface of the floor. He forced his eyes to adjust, looking both ways as he stepped cautiously out into the hallway. No guards…strange…

He knew this place…he knew the place he'd just come out of…it haunted him…

He made his way down the hall corridor, reaching the corner and slowly peeked around it to see if there were any guards. His brow furrowed when, again, there were none. This was not like his experience…this was not 'normal'…

He felt compelled to follow the path down the next hallway…knowing all too well where it would lead, the place of so many horrors, the place he feared to enter, wanted to forget, avoid, block out…wanted it to disappear. Still, he moved on, driven by some unknowable source to the last long hallway before the doorway to hell. He stopped, staring at the closed door to the room that had been his abhorrent home for so many days. His hand reached out…his left…strange…why could he…He pushed the thought away, knowing that his only task was to open the door…

He pushed, the undeniable and screeching creak of the door making his ears bleed with memory…He stepped inside…and stopped…

He looked around the room…Sydney's room…What the fuck? He stepped farther into the room, completely perplexed as to why Sydney's room was here in place of his torture room…

The room looked odd…different somehow…It wasn't the room he was familiar with. It had the same four walls…the same bed…same dressers…it contained all the same articles, but he had a great sense of foreboding…this was not his room of solace…this was not the bed that he had taken comfort in…reveled in…survived in…this was different…colder…malicious…why?

He walked into the bathroom, searching for an answer, a person, a guide, anything to help him figure out the quagmire that had become his life…what was going on? Where was Sydney? Thoughts of the warehouse, the cell, the torture room, were being replaced slowly with images of Sydney's house…the bathroom was the same…where were the usual occupants? Why was this here?

He followed the other door of the bathroom out into the hallway…the kitchen…the living room…no one…nothing out of place, just an odd…shadow hanging over the structure. He felt restless, uneasy…he was sweating and he didn't understand why…

He turned and started to walk back to the bedroom…but the door was closed…His spy skills kicked in suddenly, he didn't remember the door being closed…His jade eyes narrowed as he focused on the door, turning around quickly to make sure he wasn't being careless…he couldn't risk being taken back to the cell now…he had to find out what was behind the door…he NEEDED to know…

He watched like an observer, like an out-of-body experience as his hand reached out to grab the door handle. He couldn't have stopped himself now if he wanted to…the knob turned easily and soundlessly, time seeming to slow as the counterclockwise motion of the knob ran in opposition to the clock ticking on the wall…


	54. Chapter 249: Watching the Devil Play…

**Chapter 249: Watching the Devil Play…**

"Dreams surely are difficult, confusing, and not everything in them is brought to pass for mankind. For fleeting dreams have two gates: one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. Those which pass through the one of sawn ivory are deceptive, bringing tidings which come to naught, but those which issue from the one of polished horn bring true results when a mortal sees them." – Homer

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else." – Erma Bombeck

"Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams." – Alfred Tennyson

* * *

The door moved out of his way in a silent 'woosh;' the room bathed in almost no light…save for a bright light focused on the bed…almost like a spotlight, illuminating nothing else in the room but the cream bedspread…and the two people in it…

He smiled, grinning, liking the turn of events to this…whatever it was…but as he moved across the hardwood floor, seeing the bed from another angle, his grin faded…

'No…no…nonononononononono…' he backed away, his back hitting the dresser…and his eyes shut tightly in an effort to make the sight go away. When he reopened his eyes, the vision was still there, in all it's horrible glory, gloating, taunting him…

He moved away from the dresser, desperately running for the door that would lead to the bathroom, but the door was gone, a wall in it's place…He beat his hands against it, yelling…not wanting to turn around but knowing the only way left was back…

He sobbed loudly as he was forced to turn around, his body slumping and sliding down the wall that did not exist in the real world.

The spotlight fixed upon Sydney in the bed…their bed…

Suddenly, he wasn't on the far wall anymore…he wasn't a casual observer. Now, he was right next to the bed, the walls closing in; the room suddenly as small as the bed.

Her face was ornamented in an angelic glow. Still even here, he couldn't see her as anything less than the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He loved her still…

He fought a wave of nausea, the burning in his stomach threatening to spill over as he watched her…and him…Sydney was on her back, Sark above her, the sheet over them not covering the act itself. Sark looked down at Sydney and then over at Vaughn and smiled, a snarling, boastful smile, and reached for the sheet, tossing it at Vaughn. He looked down at Sydney again, both laughing, Sydney turning over to smile at him before returning to their 'lovemaking.'

No matter how much he wanted to turn away, to close out the images that threatened to drive him to the brink of insanity, his gaze stayed trained, transfixed on the couple on the bed. Sydney was moaning, arching up into Sark as he bore down and pushed inside her. Sark would thrust and then look at Vaughn, grunting through the pleasure; the sick smile mocking him as he violated the one person Vaughn loved most. However, Vaughn could also see this was a willing violation, the loud screams and whines of ecstasy erupting from Sydney testament to her enjoyment in the performance.

He tried to block out the sounds, the sweltering stench of sex in the room, but it was no use when he was only inches away from the bed. He pushed himself away from the bed, clawing at the hardwood floor, at the wall, his fingers bleeding as the nails scratched across the surfaces. He screamed, frantically trying to get away at any cost, pain included.

Suddenly, arms picked him up, forcibly placed him in a chair and pushed the chair over next to the bed. The figures had no shape, no definition; shadows in the foggy, pain-induced brain of a man at the end of his tether. The chair doomed him to keep watch, the restraints forbidding him movement of any body part, his head and eyes steadfast on the scene. Pain erupted all over his body, the shadowy figures inflicting pain, but no pain was worse than the sexual scene in front of him. Sark turned his head and threw his head back, pulling out of Sydney suddenly and harshly turning her over. Now, both looked at Vaughn in the same direction; Sydney still on the bottom, but bent on all fours in front of him. Sark gripped Sydney's hips tightly and slowly slid inside her again, pulling her back momentarily and roughly fondling her breasts as his slithery tongue roamed over her neck. Then, without warning, he flung her down again on her hands, and thrust deeply into her, his balls slapping against her ass loudly. Vaughn's eyes would not close…inextricably tied to the scene…they wouldn't obey his brain's commands, some unseen force restricting him from closing the lids to the unholy sacrilege in front of him.

Sydney's face was awash in a vulgar display of lust; wanton, coarse and lascivious sounds emanating from the two. This was not what he and Sydney shared, this was animalistic rutting…impure debauchery, cheap, carnal…

Grunts began to pour out of the salacious couple, Sark's thrusting becoming more rabid, even more physical and…savage…than it had been. Bestial roars erupted as Sark pounded into her from behind with wild abandon; this obscene and unchaste act being brought closer and closer to it's inevitable and vulgar end. Vaughn struggled, whimpering as the couple seemed to be encouraged by his discomfort, by his disgust, by his repugnance.

Vaughn could not stop the torrent of tears that started to fall as Sydney started calling Sark's name, begging him to fuck her harder, encouraging him, telling him she was close in between their panting. Those words were reserved for him, not to be used in this lewd display. This degraded their acts of love…

He grit his teeth together, grinding them, willing his anger into the straps, the chair that bound him there. He pulled against the restraints, biting into his flesh, blood spilling onto the hardwood floor in loud and echoed drops. Still…they wouldn't budge…

He writhed in the chair, thrashing until he thought it would break, but again, it kept him restrained as Sydney and Sark sped steadily towards their climax. Sounds of the imminent culmination hammered in his ears, scorched his skin, blinded his eyes. He didn't want to watch Sydney come with another man…he didn't want to think about what would happen unavoidably. He sobbed, begging them to stop, begging for this to end, but they laughed in a throaty and repulsive manner. When Vaughn thought he could take no more, when he would have rather died than watch what would happen next, Sark growled and threw his head back, pulling Sydney's hair with him, and groaned through his orgasm, Sydney screaming over him in her own ecstasy.

Vaughn screamed his own anguished and pained wails as he was sentenced to this euthanasia of his soul.

Vaughn jerked awake, gasping for breath, his heart racing as he tried to reorient himself…still feeling the binds holding him down, seeing images of Sydney and…and…and…

He jerked away from the hands around him, moving for the end of the bed.

"Vaughn?" Sydney said groggily, being pulled out of sleep by the feeling of Vaughn moving rapidly. Her eyes fixed on his form slowly moving towards the edge of the bed. She reached out to grab him and he pulled himself out of her grasp. Not taking his movement lightly, she gripped him tighter, just catching him before he would have tumbled off the side of their bed.

"Vaughn?" she asked again, trying to figure what was wrong with him. He wasn't screaming, so she knew it wasn't a night terror. "Jesus," she said, keeping one arm around his, "Vaughn you're soaked…"

He shrugged out of her touch again, whimpering quietly.

"Vaughn…what's happened?" Sydney asked, knowing now that this was the product of some nightmare. "Talk to me honey…what happened?"

He pushed away from her and made it to the edge of the bed. She was there in an instant, "Hey…easy baby…take it easy…what's the matter?"

Vaughn shivered and flinched when she reached out for him. He wasn't looking her in the eyes and his breath was still thready and uneven. The oxygen tube that had lain under his nose had long been discarded, pulled off of him in the motions to get off the bed. His hair was matted on his head, his shirt sticking to his skin, moisture evident all over his body. He was shaking as well, the sweat that covered his body making the air cold, making his body cold as well.

"Vaughn…Woah!" she caught him as he launched himself off the bed again. It seemed the structure offended him, like he was afraid it would bite him if he touched it.

"I…shower…I need to take a shower…" he stammered, shuddering, teeth chattering, already moving to the bathroom.

"Ok…ok…easy, come on I'll help you…"

He didn't acknowledge her statement, just continued to move towards the bathroom. Sydney was going to sit him on the chair to take his clothes and the bandages off, but he started to peel off the boxers before she even had a chance to turn around. She looked at him strangely and moved back over to him, "Vaughn…take it easy…calm down…whatever it was…it was just a dream."

He again didn't acknowledge her statement, but allowed her to help him out of his clothes. She was about to start on the bandages, but he started to walk for the shower, his hand flailing out to the wall for support.

"Vaughn! The bandages!" she tried to stop him, but he stumbled his way into the shower without her, she practically running after him.

He was about to turn on the water, but she stopped him, her touch making him flinch. She tried to calm him again, but he maneuvered away from her, almost hitting his head on the shower wall in the process.

She realized whatever he had dreamed had made him uneasy about her…something had made him wary of her…he seemed skittish and slightly afraid.

She managed to discard the wrap and reached her hand up to his cheek after the water was running. He met her eyes for the first time, his jaw twitching at her touch and she could see he was desperately trying not to pull away again. He succeeded for a moment, and then dropped his gaze, his face moving away from her hand.

She moved him somewhat unwillingly into the spray of warm water but once he was under the heated moisture, he relaxed a little, letting the water rinse away some of the lingering images. His eyes closed and he tried to push the thoughts out, the hazy details of the dream slowly melting away into a smaller realization. Dreams were funny that way…they were so detailed and terrifying at their worst, but when you woke, sometimes you scarcely could remember dreaming at all…He was thankful that some of the minute details were becoming hazy, but that still left him with plenty of images. When he opened his eyes, Sydney was looking up at him questioningly, trying to read him, to find out what was going on.


	55. Chapter 250: The Realm of Somnus

**Chapter 250: The Realm of Somnus**

"There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep." - Homer

"Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge." – Paul Gauguin

"Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged." – Samuel Johnson

* * *

He didn't look at her but he managed a nod through the spray of the water.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

He shook his head; his eyes scrunching as her voice made the images come back.

"Hey…it's ok…whatever it was Vaughn…it was only a dream…nothing more…just let the water help rinse it away…"

She knew him well enough to know that some of the moisture on his face was not just from the shower, but tears, from a new battle with his raging mind. "Tell me…it's ok…whatever it is…tell me…just tell me…" she begged quietly, her hand cupping his cheek.

He shook his head in defiance, not wanting to relive and rehash the nightmare, but he leaned on her, letting her support him, hold him, comfort him. He knew it wasn't real…he knew his Sydney would never do anything of the sort…but that didn't take the images away…

She waited patiently, knowing he needed time to process something that had scared him this much. They stayed under the water, she holding him, her head tucked under his chin. "Why don't we wash you…K?" she asked in a calming tone, trying to make sure his breathing didn't elevate again.

He didn't affirm or deny her question, but allowed her to start washing him. Sydney could arouse feelings in him like no other and even though he didn't want her to at this juncture, her touch was like liquid fire, making him aroused in other areas…

Sydney didn't encourage the arousal, knowing that something was already making him jittery around her, but she didn't stop her washing. Once she was done and she was rinsing him, his gaze had fixed on her a few more times and he actually met her eyes more than once. She smiled softly, trying to convey her understanding through her eyes.

He seemed to pick up on it; his eyes flashing as they met hers before he looked off at the wall and let the water run over him again.

She barely heard him when he started to talk, not expecting him to start so suddenly...

"What honey?"

He faltered again, not wanting to repeat it, "The…the dream…"

"Yeah…what happened baby?"

"You…and…and…S-s-s…" he stammered, his voice catching and his breathing elevating again.

"It's ok honey…what…"

"S-s-s-s-ark…"

"Sark? What about him?" Sydney asked gently.

"In…the bed…"

"What? That's what you were dreaming about?"

Vaughn nodded, his eyes closed again.

"Look at me," Sydney said forcefully enough to make him look at her, "I've never done anything with him…NEVER."

"I know…know that…just…doesn't take away the dream…"

"I know…"

"Your bed…in your bed…"

"OUR bed?"

Vaughn nodded again.

"Honey, it's not my bed – it's ours – it's always been ours…no one else has been in that bed like we have…it's our bed…"

He gave her a shaky smile.

"Come on…" She said carefully, taking his hand.

He let her lead him out of the shower, grabbing a towel and putting it around him. He thought she'd make him stop in the bathroom to change the bandages that had gotten soiled or fallen off in the shower, but she led him back to the bedroom, seating him on the chair by the bed. She threw the comforter off the bed and grabbed the blanket, replacing the towel with the much larger blanket.

"Can you wait for a few minutes here?" she asked, touching his chin.

"Yeah…"

She smiled and kissed his forehead, moving away and returning to the bed, stripping it of the sweaty sheets and replacing it clean, new soft cotton ones. The symbolism of the linen changing was not lost on him; not only was Sydney changing the dirty sheets, but it was almost a ritual purging of what had occurred there for him only a short time ago.

When she was finished, she left him for a moment and came back with the rib wrap and bandages. She smiled and kneeled down in front of him, carefully bandaging the wounds that still needed them on his chest and abdomen. She did the same on his back, her touch delicate and soothing. She wrapped his ribs and then offered him her hand, "Come on…"

He accepted it and they walked to the bed. He stopped just short of sitting, both staring at the newly changed sheets. Finally he looked at her and then sat down. She smiled and reclined him back gently, her hands lingering close to him. She turned off the light in the bathroom and then went back to the bed, laying next to him and gently urging him to turn on his right side.

He relented and did as she urged, and soon they were lying face to face on their sides on the bed. Her hand reached out and caressed his cheek, moving her body closer. He flinched again, images springing before his eyes. "Open them…" she said softly.

His thick lashes parted to reveal a pair of shining green eyes.

"This is our bed Vaughn…your bed…no one else has been nor will ever be in this bed with me…"

He nodded, "I know…I know that…"

"I've never been with Sark…"

"I know that too…"

She smiled and moved her hand down to the indent of his chin, "Just making sure you know…"

She waited a few minutes, both of them thinking in the silence of the bedroom. "Are you ok?"

He thought for a second, "Yeah…I know it's not real…it just…doesn't change that I dreamt it."

"I understand honey…I'm sorry you have them…"

"Me too…"

"I love you."

"I love you too…and thank you…again…always…"

Sydney smiled, "You're welcome…you didn't hurt yourself getting up…or the shower…"

"No, I'm ok…"

"Truth?"

"Yeah, I'm ok."

"Do you wanna talk about it some more?"

"Not really…I think you get the idea…I'd rather forget the details…"

Sydney nodded and threaded her hand through his hair, "Why don't you try to get back to sleep…"

"No, I don't want to sleep," he said quickly.

"You should rest."

"I don't want to sleep," he repeated, staring her down.

She gave him a soft smile, "Ok, we'll stay up then…"

"Will you just hold me for awhile?"

"Of course," Sydney moved closer, pulling him to her and intertwining their nude limbs. Her head rested under his, one of her hands on his back and the other cupping the back of his head. She started to play with the hairs at the back of his neck with her finger, making him shudder slightly and burrow into her even more. She smiled against his skin and then added another finger, and another until she was playing with his hair outright and soothingly. His breathing leveled, and she could feel his strained body yield and relax in her embrace. Before long, she could tell he was asleep again; the heat of his exhales tickling the hairs on her neck.

Sydney waited until she was sure he wasn't going to wake up and then allowed herself to fall into a light and aware sleep. She woke a few times when he shifted, not accustomed to sleeping in this position anymore. She'd wait patiently for him to readjust, never waking fully, and then she'd slip back into her feathery sleep. She found her own dreams to be unpleasant…plagued my memories of finding Vaughn in the warehouse, unrecognizable in his appearance, broken and bleeding. Other dreams were happier, or at least more vindicating, particularly the one where she kicked the shit out of Sark. When she woke briefly after that one, she had a sort of sick calm and peace in the vengeance that was disturbing. As much as she wanted to do to Sark what had been done to Vaughn, crossing that line, and her willingness to do so, was unnerving. On a daily basis, she could keep her emotions in check on the subject, able to push the anger back to a safe place, where it could come out when it needed to and when it was appropriate, but in her dreams, anything was fair play, and she had to admit, some of the better dreams were _quite_ adequate in the revenge department. Her life had revolved around violence for so long that in a way, she thought all involved had been anesthetized to some degree. There wasn't much that shocked her; yet in those times she was, there was a sense of relief that she could still feel that emotion. When she finally slept to the point of dreamlessness, she welcomed the true rest, and was thankful that Vaughn seemed to be in the same state.


	56. Chapter 251: Stranger Danger

**Chapter 251: Stranger Danger **

_"We sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up in the morning." – Henry Ward Beecher _

"He who goes to bed hungry dreams of pancakes." – Unknown

"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." – Tennessee Williams

"I have an idea that some men are born out of their due place. Accident has cast them amid certain surroundings, but they have always a nostalgia for a home they know not. They are strangers at their birthplace, and the leafy lanes they have known from childhood or the populous streets in which they have played, remain but a place of passage. They may spend their whole lives aliens among their kindred and remain aloof among the only scenes they have ever knows. Perhaps it is this sense of strangeness that sends men far and wide in the search for something permanent, to which they may attach themselves. Perhaps some deep-rooted atavism urges the wanderer back to lands which his ancestors left in the dim beginnings of history. Sometimes a man hits upon a place to which he mysteriously feels that he belongs. Here is the home he sought, and he will settle amid scenes that he has never seen before, among men he has never known, as though they were familiar to him from his birth. Here at last he finds rest." – W. Somerset Maugham

* * *

Sydney's internal clock was so attuned to Vaughn that she woke a short time before he did. She spent the time resuming her gentle stroking of his hair, making him burrow further into her as she caressed him in slumber. Sydney first knew he was awake when she felt a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder. She smiled and eased him back from her, keeping her hand on the back of his head. Their mouths met in the same sort of gentle kiss before Sydney helped Vaughn roll onto his back. He winced through a yawn and brought his fist up to his eye, wiping the sleep out. When he was done, he turned his head back in Sydney's direction. She was lying on her side, her head propped up on her arm, an adoring look on her face. Her hand moved to his cheek and then his chest, the gentle touch bringing a smile to his face.

"Did you sleep ok?" Sydney asked.

He nodded, "You?"

"Yeah, I slept fine."

He looked at her for a minute, "I'm sorry…"

She shook her head, "There's no need to be sorry Vaughn. You didn't do anything."

"I'm still sorry…" he said turning away.

"Hey," she said, making him look at her, "We've talked about this countless times…and we're being honest. If I had a problem with it, and if I was mad about it, I'd tell you…got it?"

He smiled, "Yeah…"

"I'm still sorry," he said after a few minutes of shared silence.

She looked over at him, about to start again, but he had a playful smile plastered to his face and she knew that even though the meaning was there, he knew he didn't need to apologize.

"You wanna talk about it anymore?"

The smile faltered slightly and he looked away, "Not really, there's not really anything more to say. I'd rather forget it."

She made him look at her again, "Just for the record, one more time, in the nice refreshing dawn of morning," she stopped looking at the clock, "well…mid-morning," she smiled, "I've never…NEVER done anything with him…and this," she looked at the bed, "this is your bed…this is our bed…no one else's…OUR bed Vaughn."

"Thank you…and I know…but it doesn't matter what I know in my dreams. That doesn't stop them…and I can't help that it affects me after."

"I know that, I just want you to be sure…"

He nodded, "Mid morning, huh?"

"Yeah," she said yawning, "it's 10."

He nodded, "I'm hungry."

She smiled, "Well…hang on, let me get the to-do list…we can cross off 'eating' from the list. What do you want to eat?"

"Pancakes," he said quickly.

Sydney giggled, "Ok then. Pancakes it is." She helped him sit up and then handed him the remote, grabbed her robe, and kissed him before walking out.

She started a pot of coffee and was about to start the pancakes when she noticed a note on the countertop. She grabbed the note and read: "_Syd – Hey, heard the shower really early this morning…we didn't want to intrude…hope everything's ok. Call me and let me know. Love ya, Will_"

Sydney smiled and grabbed the phone, dialing the CIA number. After getting through the operator, she waited as the hold music droned on.

"Tippin."

"Hey."

"Hi Syd. What's up?"

"I just read your note."

"Oh, right. Everything ok?"

"Yeah, he had a nightmare…we showered. Sorry if it woke you up."

"No, we…well we were up…I was gonna come in and see, but…like I said, I didn't want to intrude…"

"Yeah, thanks for asking though Will."

"No problem. He's ok though?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good."

"How's work?" Sydney asked as she poured two cups of coffee.

"It's ok. Not too much going on at the moment. Just…ya know…analyzing."

Sydney smirked, "You're great at that."

"Yeah, they seem to think so."

"Ok, well I'm about to start breakfast. Have a good day."

"Yeah you too. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks Will."

"Bye Syd."

"Bye."

She hung up the phone and took one of the cups of coffee in to Vaughn before coming back out and making the pancakes…

Sydney chuckled at the way Vaughn was hovering over his coffee cup when she came back in the room with the tray, "Lean over more you might fall in there Vaughn."

He smiled goofily, "Coffee is goooood."

"Yes, I know." She set the tray down on his lap.

"Wow!" he said excitedly. "Mickey's…and cactuses…and…" he stopped, "Is that a banana?"

"Mmhmm…"

"And…what's this one?" He studied it a moment, craning his head in different angles, "Boobs?"

Sydney burst out laughing, "It could very well be…or it could be something else…" she winked.

"Ooooooh, like balls?"

"Yup."

"Oh look…here's one with the balls together with a banana shaped one…" He looked up at her, "Sydney…are you trying to seduce me?"

"Perhaps…"

"Well, I tell ya…this is the way to do it…is this what's gonna happen every time I have a bad night?"

"You might be surprised," Sydney said with a smile as she sat down with him.

She handed him his pills, "One less…no antibiotic."

"Cool."

"You want some genuine Canadian maple syrup with that…equipment?" Sydney asked, holding the syrup bottle with a smirk.

He laughed, "Yes I will have some, thank you."

She handed him the bottle and watched as he poured it over the pancakes. Her mouth was still agape when he stopped.

"What?"

"Uh, nothing…you want some pancakes with that RIVER?"

He chuckled, "Just eat your breakfast and let me eat my river in peace."

"Yeah, I'll make sure to pull you out when you're drowning in syrup."

"Thanks."

Sydney was still smirking when he was done with their brunch, "Oh look Vaughn…you left a lil pond of syrup there…you sure you don't want to, I dunno, lick it up?"

He smiled, "No…that's your job…"

She smirked back, "Mmmhmm…just for that, our ice sex has been postponed until further notice."

He looked wildly at her, "But…it's on the list!"

"The list is flexible, remember?"

"But…but…Syyyyyyyyd…" he whined, "I had a bad night!"

"Yes, you did."

"Really bad dream…"

"You can have a cookie if you're sad," she said with a completely straight face.

"That's just mean!"

She smiled and turned, walking out with the tray.

For a minute he just sat there, then yelled, "Sydney!?"

She chuckled as she heard him call from the bedroom, "Yes?" she yelled back.

"Sydney…come on!"

"Shouda thought about that before Vaughn!"

"Aww COME ON!"

She giggled on her way back and stopped in the doorway, crossing her arms, "You ready to get dressed?"

He looked down sheepishly, "Yeah…"

She smiled and came back to the bed, "I'm just teasing you…"

He looked up at her, "So…you're not gonna postpone ice sex?"

She smirked and caressed his cheek, "Not if you want it honey."

He smiled and let his head rest on the headboard. He watched her for a minute, just smiling and not saying anything.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah…no ice…"

She looked at him strangely, "What do you mean?"

"Not today…no ice…just you."

She smiled in understanding, "That's fine too."

Vaughn smiled back at her, just watching the emotions spread across her face. Finally, he said, "Hi."

Sydney chuckled and furrowed her brow, moving a bit closer to him, "Hi…have we met? Cause I'm not supposed to play with strangers…"

Vaughn grinned, "Yeah…we've met…why don't you come over here…and we'll refresh your memory…"


	57. Chapter 252: Final Jeopardy

**Chapter 252: Final Jeopardy **

_"We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company." – Lilly Tomlin, as Ernestine the Operator _

"I don't answer the phone. I get the feeling whenever I do that there will be someone on the other end." – Fred Couples

"Hello, you've reached Sydney and Vaughn. We can't pick up the phone right now, because we're doing something we really enjoy. Sydney likes doing it up and down, and I like doing it left to right...real slowly. So leave a message, and when we're done brushing our teeth we'll get back to you."

"Thank you for calling the Metropolitan Church of the Holy Bible. Today's commandment is Number 6, Thou shalt not... er... Bear a... er... Shalt not witness thy... uh... Neighbor's ass, Oh, I mean, false... er... Shalt not commit a bear... Dern..."

"(Narrator's voice) There Dale sits, reading a magazine. Suddenly the telephone rings! The bathroom explodes into a veritable maelstrom of toilet paper, with Dale in the middle of it, his arms windmilling at incredible speeds! Will he make it in time? Alas no, his valiant effort is in vain. The bell hath sounded. Thou must leave a message."

"(Ominous electronic background music) In honor of Halloween, I'm about to perform an unspeakable pagan ritual. So please leave a message. Unless you're a virgin, in which case, why don't you stop by? SINT MIHI DEI ACHERONTIS PROPITII..."

"(To the tune of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana) Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, No one's here, No one's home, Leave a message, At the tone. Don't feel stupid, Its no big fuss, Leave a message, You can reach us."

"(Operatic music like Rossini's "Stabbat Matter") Hi, you've reached Hell. (Screams in the background.) We're busy being cleaned by the light of eternal truth right now, so if you leave your name, number, and a brief message, we'll get back to you at the end of time."

* * *

Sydney's lips were on his immediately, barely giving him time to finish his statement. It started out soft and loving, gently, lips touching, chaste. Then, their lips parted like a crowd parting as Cinderella walked towards her prince. Tongues intertwined like climbing tendrils of ivy, desperately attaching and clinging to the next, intersecting like grape vines, smashing to make sweet and delicious wet wines.

The shrill and undeniable ringing of the phone cut short their divine wine tasting. They both smiled slowly, foreheads resting against each other.

"Just let it ring," Vaughn said quietly, but Sydney had made no move to get the phone.

The machine clicked, and the message followed, 'beep…'

"MIKE!" came bellowing through the machine. The distorted, yet unmistakable voice of Eric Weiss impatiently chided, "DUDE! Pick up the phone! I know you're there! Come on! Syd! Pick it up! Ok…I'll wait until you're finished…" there was a static-ey pause, "Done yet? AW! COME ON! Hurry up! I swear dude…you get more play…" there was another pause where they could here a very bad version of the jeopardy theme coming over the machine, "Yes, I'll take 'Porn' for $500 Alex…You're just sitting there listening to me yammer and laughing aren't ya?"

Sydney and Vaughn chuckled as Weiss continued to 'yammer' on. Finally, Sydney picked up the phone, "Eric?" She paused, "Hang on…" She winked at Vaughn, "UH! OH yeah…RIGHT THERE!"

Vaughn snorted and watched her performance with amusement. He could hear the pained wails of his friend on the other end of the line. She giggled and handed the phone to Vaughn.

He waited a moment as well and then made himself sound out of breath, "Yeah…what'dya want?"

There was a brief moment of silence; "I swear on my mother's grave…well…she's not dead yet of course, but dude…come on…spare me…please, you're killing me here."

Vaughn laughed, "What's up?"

"You sure you're up to a conversation?"

"We were just playing with ya Eric…"

"Mmhmm…sure ya were…and all those noises were just for show…"

"They were for our amusement."

"Oh that's nice…just shove it back in my face man, I tell ya…"

Vaughn was near tears, "Dude, what's up?"

"I had the day off…I've got news…I was gonna bring lunch over…of course now I'm scarred again…and about to vomit, not sure lunch is gonna sit well with me."

"What kind of news? Well we had a really late breakfast…if you wanted to come over later that would be fine…" He looked to Sydney to make sure it was ok, and she answered with a smile.

"News that I want to tell you in person…You want me to bring a late lunch then?"

"Sure, that'd be good."

"What am I getting?" Weiss asked.

"What do you want Weiss to bring?" Vaughn asked Sydney.

"Uhm…nothing fast food…"

Vaughn smirked at Weiss' whine, "Dude…did she just say what I think she just said?"

"Yup…"

"Aww man, that's like my whole life."

"I know man…it's tough…" Vaughn looked at Sydney, "What about KFC? That's…only half fast food."

Sydney scrunched her face thinking, "I don't think that's really a healthy chicken choice…" She looked at the pleading look on Vaughn's face and sighed, "But…since you had a bad night…ok…"

He smiled, "We're a go for Kentucky Fried."

"Score," Weiss said. "I'll take care of the order…the sides and everything…how's two?"

"Two?" Vaughn asked.

"Two's fine," Sydney agreed.

"Two it is," Vaughn said back to Weiss.

"Excellent. I'll see you then. Get your sex out of the way before I get there, k?"

Vaughn chuckled, "Yeah, we'll do that."

"Great. See ya later Mike."

"Bye Eric." Vaughn handed Sydney the phone

Sydney put it back in the cradle, "Weiss has news?"

"Yeah, that's what he said, but he wouldn't tell me what…"

"Hmm…guess we'll see…what do you wanna do until he gets here?" Sydney asked.

"Well Mr. Alex Weiss killed the mood with his jeopardy theme…what else is on the list?"

Sydney grabbed their list, "Well…ice sex, exercise – walking around the patio, bath, eating, work, x-box."

"We could exercise…take a bath…"

Sydney smiled, "That what's on the agenda then?"

"Sure, if that's ok with you."

"Sounds good to me…you sore from last night?"

"A little…not too bad…"

"We should check the bandages again today…make sure they're ok…"

"Yeah…some of them are starting to itch."

Sydney looked down at him, "They are?"

"Yeah…" He shifted uncomfortably. "Some still really hurt, but other ones…I guess the ones that are healing well are itchy…"

"Well…that's good…but bad cause it makes you uncomfortable. Maybe we can add another bath or something…keep the scabs softer. We can ask Tom too…he's coming over on Saturday."

"Yeah…like we don't spend enough time in the bathtub…"

"I like bath time…"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah, I do too."

"Sling will come off this weekend…" Sydney said with a sly smile.

Vaughn looked back at her, "Yeah, I hope so…"

"Me too honey, me too. Ok, let's get dressed…then we can exercise…" She waited for Vaughn's nod, and then asked, "What do you wanna wear?"

Vaughn thought a moment, "Those black running pants with the white stripe down the side…"

Sydney chuckled, "Those specific ones?"

"Yeah…and my kings t-shirt."

Sydney smiled at his request and brought over the specific articles of clothing. "Is this like a superhero kind of thing? Exercise is equated with special, superhero clothing?"

"Exactly – yes…Kings are superheroes. Must have appropriate attire when about to take on exercise of epic proportions…"

Sydney chuckled and helped him get into the clothes, and then dressed herself, before turning around with his shoes.

He smiled as she put the shoes on him, pulling at the tongue and tightening the laces before tying them.

"Wow…shoes…" he said.

Sydney smiled, "Yeah…you and Nike have not parted ways…"

Vaughn sighed, "It's been a long time since I wore shoes…" he looked down at his tied shoes, "You don't tie like a lefty…"

Sydney chuckled, "That's cause I'm not left-handed…"

He smirked, "Don't you find it…I dunno…strange to tie my shoes?"

"Do you think it's strange?"

"No…I mean I can't…but…"

"If this is the whole 'treating you like a child conversation,' we've had it before…and the answer is the same."

"No, I was just wondering…"

"You'll be able to tie them on your own after the sling is off…"

"Yeah…well…not really."

"It'll be good practice for your fingers."

"That'll be one messy looking bow," he said with a smile.

"As long as it holds it won't matter."

She smiled at him then and backed up, watching as he slowly squirmed his way to the edge of the bed. He stood shakily at first and took a minute to get his bearings before smiling at Sydney, "Ok…"


	58. Chapter 253: Air Michael: Just Do It

**

* * *

Chapter 253: Air Michael: Just Do It**

_"You have brains in your head.  
You have feet in your shoes.  
You can steer yourself  
any direction you choose.  
You're on your own. And you know what you know.  
And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go…" – Dr. Seuss _

"We shall not cease from exploration  
And the end of all our exploring  
Will be to arrive at where we started  
And know the place for the first time." – T. S. Eliot

"He who limps is still walking." – Stanislaw J. Lec

"The contented person enjoys the scenery of a detour." – Unknown

"Cells let us walk, talk, think, make love and realize the bath water is cold." – Lorraine Lee Cudmore 

She smiled back, "Where do you want me?"

Vaughn grinned, "I'm just gonna let that question slide without the sexual comment I have swirling around in my head right now…and uhm…maybe just…walk with me."

Sydney nodded and resisted her urge to grab him when he started to walk. She tried not to pay attention to the progress, to just concentrate on the walking itself, but she found herself getting more nervous the farther they got, knowing full well that a return trip would be in order. She opened the patio door for him, letting him walk out first, and immediately the fiery sun beat down on them, the temperature change staggering from the coolness of the interior of the house.

Sydney closed the door and fell into step with him, her brow furrowing as she noticed the exertion the walk was taking. "Vaughn…maybe we should go back inside…it's really hot out here…shorts would have probably been better…"

He was out of breath and noticeably perspiring but he shook his head, "No…we're out here…might as well just…get it over with…"

She nodded, but her concern continued as they walked around the edge of the yard. His walk was slightly more hunched than the non-injured version of himself, but he was making remarkable progress every time he walked. She turned to look back at the endless backyard, the way back suddenly looking like a vast field to cross…a never-ending sea of green and concrete.

Finally, Vaughn yielded and looked at her, "Ok…let's go back…"

She nodded and grabbed onto his arm, helping him turn in a semicircle to start back towards the house.

The whole exercise process could not have been in the excess of fifteen minutes, but the time had seemed to slow when they were walking, so much so that hours had passed. The accomplishment was not a small one by any means, Vaughn once again exceeding his farthest walk.

She wisely stepped through the patio door first, grabbing his arm without asking if she should as he walked over the threshold.

"Woah…" he said, losing his balance after getting back in the house.

"You ok?" Sydney asked worriedly, her hand not leaving his arm.

"Yeah," he said, grabbing onto her as well to steady himself, his eyes closing briefly. "Just…the temperature changes…I think…" he said, out of breath and visibly winded.

"Come on…let's get you to the bedroom…then we'll take a bath."

Vaughn nodded and let her lead him to the bedroom, leaning more on her the closer they got. Sydney eased him down and smiled, letting her hand run through his slightly sweaty hair, "Great job honey."

Vaughn smiled, "Thanks…" he waited a minute, and then added, "Do I get a cookie now?"

Sydney laughed, "If you want one."

"Maybe just some water first…cookies might…come back up."

Sydney looked questioningly at him but he waved her off, "I'm ok…just…can I have some water?"

"Sure," Sydney replied, walking quickly to the bathroom to get him a glass of water. She handed it to him and watched as he downed it quickly. "More?"

He nodded and she ran off once again, handing him the cup on her return.

As he drank the second glass more slowly, Sydney bent down and started to take off his shoes, removing them and throwing them towards the closet.

"There go my shoes…" he said whimsically, holding the glass in his hand.

"You had a nice reunion, although brief. You'll meet again soon."

"I liked shoes again," Vaughn added with a goofy smile.

Sydney smirked up at him as she took the now empty glass and started to take off the sling and his shirt. "It's the little things we miss…"

Vaughn nodded, thinking, "It's funny though…how the small things can turn into huge things…like…it's just a pair of shoes…"

"But it represents something much larger Vaughn."

"Yeah, maybe that's why…"

She smiled and helped him stand and step out of the running pants, then they continued to the bathroom. She sat him in the chair and removed the wrap and the bandages, removed her own clothing and then slipped the boxers off of him as they walked to the tub. She set the temperature of the bathwater slightly cooler than normal, cool enough that it would feel refreshing to his elevated body temperature and yet still be warm enough that he wouldn't get cold. He sighed on impact, settling into the familiar weightless feeling the soothing water provided and sighed even more contentedly when Sydney pulled him back into her same familiar arms.

She waited a few minutes, letting him relax before she said quietly, "I don't think we really need to wash again honey…we'll wash your hair, but…why don't we just unwind for a while…the water will rinse you off…"

He nodded in agreement, a soft smile playing across his face. "Unwinding is good…" he said, drawing out the last syllable of the words.

She chuckled and eased them down into the water even more, their heads now the only thing above water.

"Wow…you really can unwind a guy…almost as well as you wind me up," Vaughn said, turning to look at her.

She giggled, "Yeah, I have many talents."

She let them stay that way for a long time before submitting to washing his hair. As soon as she was finished however, she pulled them back into the watery blanket and relished the 'unwinding' some more.

"We should put on some music when we do this," Vaughn mused, eyes closed, head resting on Sydney's shoulder.

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea for these relaxing times…when we're not really washing…"

"Well, yeah, and if we're gonna do this more times a day, like you said earlier…I mean…I love it in here, but it's kinda quiet when we're…uh…not otherwise engaged in sexual activity or talking."

"Or both," Sydney said giggling.

"Right."

"Well, we'll work on a bath soundtrack then…"

"Sounds good. We should put that on our list for tomorrow."

"We can do that…few more minutes…then we should get out of the tub."

"Ok," Vaughn said with a yawn.

"You tired?"

"A little yeah…"

"You wanna take a nap before Eric gets here?"

"Nah, I think I'll be ok…"

Sydney nodded and they reveled in the last few minutes of aqueous contentment.

When they got out of the tub, Sydney set to checking the wounds and changing his dressings. She left most of the whip marks that were not gaping or surgically stitched and not already covered by the wrap, alone to the air. "I think we should leave your shirt off until Eric gets here…if you're not gonna get cold."

"I think I'll be ok."

"K," Sydney said, pressing a kiss into the back of his neck and helping him stand again.

"You want running pants again?" she asked when they reached the bedroom.

"Sure…the…gray ones…with the stripes…and the snaps up the side…"

Sydney smiled again when she turned to him with the requested pants, "What about a shirt for later, any specifications?"

"Hmm…gray Nike shirt…with the black logo…"

Sydney chuckled, "You got it." As she helped him get a new pair of boxers on and the pants, she wondered if picking out his own attire was one of those 'little things,' but she didn't ask him. "Let's leave the sling off too until we put your shirt on…otherwise it'll probably hurt on your back."

"Good plan…" he said nodding.

"You wanna move to the couch? Then we can check out what's left on the list for today."

"Sure," he said, extending his hand for her to help him up.

They walked slowly to the couch, he not asking to walk alone and she not offering to let him do it by himself. After he was settled, she brought him another glass of water and sat down next to him with their list for the day.

"Ok…we've covered everything but…eating our other two meals…working…and Xbox…oh yeah…and sex…"

Vaughn smiled and thought a minute, "What time is it?"

Sydney looked at the clock, "Almost 1:00."

"Hmm…we could do some work…try to get farther with it…" he looked over at the television, "or…we could play Xbox…"

Sydney looked over at the television with him, "Yeah…work would be productive…" she paused, "Xbox would be more entertaining…" she smirked at him, "That's going to be very distracting…" she leaned over and kissed him, "Damn devil box of temptation…Which game?"

Vaughn smirked, "Which game you wanna beat me on?"

"Well, I could kick your ass at hockey again…or we could do a joint effort and try Lord of the Rings. I'd say we should try Buffy, but Will might take personal offense to us touching the box…his baby…"

Vaughn laughed, "Yeah, let's see if you and I can get farther than level two. We make the best team."

Sydney smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek as she got up, "We do…we make the best a lot of things."

Vaughn smirked, "Was that some covert way of bringing up kids?"

Sydney looked at him over her shoulder as she put the game in the console, "Maybe…"

"Hmm…"

"Well…they would be adorable…just sayin…again…for emphasis."

Vaughn chuckled, "They'd be adorable…gorgeous…beautiful…loving…elegant…charming…radiant…"

"Trying to step up the sex time?" Sydney asked as she turned around and started back towards the couch.

"Is it working?"

Sydney laughed, "We'd scar Eric…again."

Vaughn nodded, "Ok…we'll wait then…" He sighed, "So who do you want to be?"

"Viggo of course…"

"Do I need to be worried?"

"No…he's just…well…hot…"

Vaughn raised an eyebrow.

"Not as hot as you…never…" she said kissing him on the cheek again.

"I dunno…that's two kisses that haven't reached my mouth. Don't know how I feel about that…"

"Viggo would definitely get a m–…really nice smile."

"Nice, real nice. Here we are discussing children…and you're ogling over a guy who's last name I can' t even pronounce."

Sydney giggled, "I only love you Vaughn…now…that's not to say that I wouldn't give Viggo a spin if –"

"Sydney please! I've been tortured enough!"

Sydney's giggles turned into a grin; "Ok ok…let's play then."


	59. Chapter 254: The Weissman Cometh

**Chapter 254: The Weissman Cometh **

_"Hana: What on Earth is a 'barbeque'?  
Hel: A primitive tribal ritual featuring paper plates, elbows, flying insects, encrusted meat, hush puppies, and beer.  
Hana: I daren't ask what a 'hush puppy' is.  
Hel: Don't." – Trevanian from the novel Shibumi _

"I like her because she smiles at me and means it." – Tas Soft Wind

"A lot of guys think the larger a woman's breasts are, the less intelligent she is. I don't think it works like that. I think it's the opposite. I think the larger a woman's breasts are, the less intelligent the men become." – Anita Wise

"My boyfriend asked me why women think firemen are sexy, so I explained the pole theory: Men love women who slide down poles, and women love men who slide down poles. Subject dropped." – Terri Guillemets

* * *

When Eric arrived an hour later with lunch, Sydney and Vaughn had beaten three levels and were working on the fourth.

"Hey…wouldja look at that…I'm not interrupting sex…" Weiss said when he set the lunch down on the counter.

"Hey Eric," Vaughn called, both he and Sydney still busily pressing buttons on the controllers.

Weiss walked over, "Well…I can see why – instead you're preoccupied with another addiction."

Sydney smirked, "Hey we're really good at this…how're you doing Eric."

"I'm great. Let's eat…I've got news."

Vaughn chuckled, "Let us get to the end of this…or somewhere we can save…hang on…"

"You know where stuff is Eric…go ahead and get plates or whatever we're gonna need," Sydney added.

Weiss shook his head and walked off to the kitchen to get all the supplies they'd need.

When he returned, Vaughn and Sydney were in the process of saving the game and shutting down. He passed out the plates and chicken and then sat down in the chair across from the couch. Sydney grabbed Vaughn's shirt and eased it over his head while he looked at Weiss.

"So…you gonna spill?" Vaughn asked.

"Well…how're ya doin first…"

Vaughn smiled, "I'm ok. Now spill."

Weiss smirked, "Ok…well…I met someone…"

Vaughn stopped chewing and looked over at Weiss, "What? When?"

Weiss looked down, "A few months ago…"

"A few months ago?! Why didn't you tell me?"

Weiss shrugged, "I didn't want to…you had enough to deal with…"

Vaughn was silent, thinking. Sydney smiled at Weiss, "What's her name?"

"Nicole."

"You still could have told me…I would have listened Eric…you know that…" Vaughn said quietly.

Weiss smiled at him, "Yeah…but I didn't want to add anything…so I'm telling you now…"

Vaughn smiled back, "You seem really happy…"

"Yeah, I am…"

"So tell us," Vaughn said, settling back into their lunch.

"You remember that time about a year ago…you were pining over Sydney and I dragged you to the Strip Club?"

Vaughn choked on his chicken.

"Strip club huh?" Sydney asked with her eyebrows raised, "And you were harping on me over Viggo?"

Vaughn looked over at her and then back at Eric, "You couldn't have left me out of that part?"

Weiss chuckled, "Sorry man…Syd, if it makes it any better, he did nothing but sulk all night long, I don't think he even saw any of the women…"

Sydney nodded, "Well then…I might be able to consider forgiveness."

Weiss started again, "Anyway…I was looking at the women of course…and there was this one stripper, Nicky Saint…damn she was gorgeous…'bout 5'8"…she had the shiniest black hair I've ever seen…and eyes…damn, they're violet man…violet…I'm not kidding…and it's not contacts…anyway…so I mean…yeah, she was beautiful and jugs man…"

"Weiss…" Sydney interrupted, "I think we can jump ahead in your story…"

Weiss sighed, "Ok…but yeah…top notch…anyway…so yeah, I was coming out of my apartment one morning to take out the garbage and there, in my hallway is the beautiful stripper of my dreams. She's moving in across the hall from me! So…I didn't say anything about that…but I asked her if she needed help and she was kinda leery about it, but I turned on my charm and yeah – bam – I was helping her move in. So, I help her carry this huge box into the apartment and I get the third degree by her three-year-old daughter, who I swear is like a stamped copy of her mother, only her hair is like Shirley Temple-curly. Cute as a button…So yeah…so I wound up staying for pizza that night and then yeah…it was sort of just random 'hello's' in the hallway until I helped her with…" Weiss stopped, looking at the two, "Ok, I'm telling you more than I've told anyone else…so it's not gonna go any farther."

Vaughn looked at Sydney and then back at Weiss with a look of confusion, "Have I ever said anything about anything in the past."

"No," Weiss said, "But…this is different…"

Vaughn looked at him again for a minute, "I'd never say anything…neither would Sydney."

"Ok…so yeah, I helped her out one night when her ex broke into her apartment…and after that…well…we've been seeing each other…a lot."

Vaughn smiled, "That's great man…"

Sydney grinned, "You're a total pushover I bet too…"

Weiss blushed, "Yeah…well…the kid's cute…she's so smart, you gotta meet her…and Cole too."

"Cole?"

"That's what I call Nicole."

"Pet names…"

Weiss blushed another shade of red, "Yeah…"

"Is she still…a stripper?" Sydney asked.

Weiss chuckled, "No…she was just doing that to put herself through law school after her and Annie moved here…so she moved into my apartment building when she got a better job now that she's practicing as an attorney."

"Annie is her daughter?" Vaughn asked.

"Yeah, she's great…Annabella has her own room now. She's very excited."

"Where did they move from?"

"Cole's from a little town near Toronto…they moved here when she was pregnant with Annie…to get away from the guy I knocked out in her apartment."

"He was abusive then I take it?" Vaughn asked as more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah the guy's a real loser. He's back in Canada now doing time for an outstanding drug warrant…we won't have to worry about him now for five to ten…"

"That's rough," Sydney said quietly, "But they're ok?"

"Yeah, Annie was in the room when Frank, that's the guy, when he broke in and was hitting Cole…but she's ok…they were shook up, scared…they're both ok now."

"That's good…"

"Yeah, we just got done painting Annie's room. She was excited cause she got to pick out the color…picked Princess Pink – but if she tells you anything…I had nothing to do with it…" he said with an endearing smile. "She's really great…her favorite stuffed animal is this teddy bear her mom got for her. His name is Toby and he's brown with a red sweater, which she tells everyone, so that's her favorite name. She names everything Toby. Her fish – she has three – they all have Toby for their middle name…" he stopped, blushing again, "Sorry…I'm doing that thing that Vaughn does when he gushes about you Syd…"

Sydney smiled, "That's great Eric."

Vaughn smiled, "Welcome to the club man."

Weiss smiled proudly back at them, "It's a great feeling…sorry I gave you so much shit about it now," he said with a chuckle.

"So when do we meet them?" Sydney asked.

"Whenever you want…"

"What about this weekend?"

"That should work fine…I'll ask them and let you know."

"Great."

"We could have a barbeque…" Vaughn said, thinking aloud.

Sydney turned to him, "A barbeque?"

"Yeah…why not?"

"If you think you're up to that…"

"Well…I'm getting the sling off on Saturday…"

"Yeah…"

"Well why can't we have everyone over on Sunday? Weiss and Nicole and Annie can come, your dad…my mom, maybe even Tom and Kaia…"

Sydney smiled, "That sounds like a great idea…Why don't I start calling everyone…you boys can play."

"Cool…" Weiss said, "What games do you have?"

The boys dissolved into gamer speak as Sydney headed for the kitchen with the phone. She got in touch with Amélie who readily agreed and also informed Sydney that she would come over on Saturday for Vaughn's big 'un-slinging' and then stay over for the impromptu party on Sunday. Her dad was happy to hear from her and promised he'd be there and would bring 'processed pre-made potato salad' for the event. Sydney left a message for Tom and Kaia, both on duty and unavailable at the moment. Once she had made all her calls, she walked back into the living room, watching Weiss and Vaughn as they played the NHL game.

"Switched huh?"

"Yeah, I wanted to try out the hockey one," Weiss told her as he maneuvered around Vaughn's player.

"Did Vaughn tell you I kicked his ass at this game?" she asked.

"No, he didn't mention that," Weiss said, looking over at Vaughn with a knowing smile, "Well, I think my chances just got better then."

"Vaughn, you mind if I run to the store for a few things while Eric is here?"

"No go ahead," Vaughn said, pausing the game and turning slightly to kiss her, "Have fun."

"You boys play nice now," she yelled as she walked out the door.

"Yes mom," Weiss yelled back right before the door closed. He turned to Vaughn, "You sap…you let her win didn't you."

"Yeah…" Vaughn replied, looking back at him, "And shut up, cause you're in the same boat now."

Weiss smiled, "You're right about that…"


	60. Chapter 255: Viggolicious: Tales of the

**Chapter 255: Viggolicious: Tales of the Half Naked Elf and Other Stories…**

_"Three wise men – are you serious?" – Author Unknown _

"Hollywood is a place where people from Iowa mistake each other for movie stars." – Fred Allen

"Today, watching television often means fighting, violence and foul lan

guage - and that's just deciding who gets to hold the remote control." – Donna Gephart

"If a million people see my movie, I hope they see a million different movies." – Quentin Tarantino

"Strange how the older generations can't program a VCR if their life depended on it, but they managed to operate the climate control system of their 1958 Ramblers, which consisted of six unmarked knobs, one labeled 'AirFloMatic' in unreadable cursive script, and four levers underneath the dash, which you had to turn, then pull." – Dan Tasman

* * *

Sydney made a stop at the pharmacy to put in an order for more refills of Vaughn's prescriptions and then headed to the paper products aisle, picking up various items they'd need for the weekend barbeque. She stocked up on shampoo and some bandage material they were running low on and then made a pit stop in the entertainment section before ending her trip back at the pharmacy to pick up the prescriptions.

When she got home, it was a little after 5:00, and both Will and Francie's cars were in the driveway.

She chuckled when the first thing she heard was Will complaining that they started without him, and he wanted to quit his job and play video games all day.

She saw Francie in the kitchen, rolling her eyes, "They've turned…all of them…" she said when she spotted Sydney.

"Yeah, they tend to do that…oh hey…we're having a barbeque on Sunday," Sydney said suddenly.

Francie turned to look at her with a smile, "Are we now…"

Sydney looked sheepishly at her as she put Vaughn's pill bottles on the counter, "Yeah…see Vaughn's getting the sling off…and Weiss met someone…and…"

"It's fine Syd, that sounds great," Francie said waving her off.

"Really?"

"Yeah…am I cooking?" she asked.

"No…well sorta…I think everyone is bringing something, so I figured Will would work the grill. I'm not sure what we'll all have yet, dogs and brats and hamburgers probably…"

"Sounds good."

"Yeah, and I invited like…everyone…" Sydney said with a smile.

Francie chuckled, "That's great…that'll be good for Vaughn."

"Yeah he suggested it, so I think it'll be good."

Sydney walked off to the living room where all three men were pasted to the couch, all watching intently as the characters from Lord of the Rings made their way through yet another battle.

"How far are you guys now?"

Vaughn turned, "Hey baby…we're on like level 6…"

"Cool."

"Did you have fun at the store?" he asked, while pushing buttons. Finally, he handed the controller to Will and gave his full attention to Sydney.

She smiled and leaned over the couch behind him, kissing his cheek from the side. "Yes, it was fun."

"Good…"

"I got something too…" she said giggling and handing him a DVD.

Vaughn snorted, "Lovely…"

Sydney giggled harder, "Yeah, and I think we definitely have to watch the first one before we watch this…just to get the story line correct of course."

"Right," Vaughn said disbelievingly.

"What did she get?" Will asked.

"Lord of the Rings 2…just for more Viggo…"

"Ok guys," Weiss started, handing Vaughn his controller, "I gotta truck…my girls are expecting me home…" he said with a grin.

Vaughn smiled back, "You have fun."

"I will…I'll see you on Sunday then. I'll call to confirm, but I don't see any reason why we wouldn't be able to make it. See ya later."

"Bye Eric," the group said at once.

"What's Sunday?" Will asked.

"We're having a barbeque."

"We are? Score."

"Yeah, Vaughn's idea."

"Good idea Mike."

"Thanks…"

"Hey look…Will didn't die yet…it's been like…wow…five minutes…I'm impressed, must be a new record…Call the Guinness Book!" Sydney shouted.

Vaughn chuckled and Francie was laughing wholeheartedly from the kitchen.

"Yeah yeah…" Will said shaking his head, "I'm just gonna ignore that…we watching those movies tonight?"

"Sure, if you want to."

Vaughn groaned, "Oh yeah…"

Sydney laughed, "Do I need to tell them why I bought it?"

"Sure might as well…"

"Vaughn went to a strip club last year and claims he looked at like…no one…even though I'm sure breasts were falling out all around him…so I decided a little Viggo action was good."

Will looked over at Vaughn, "Busted man…sorry."

"Yeah, well…it was true – I was all pining after her…but I'm still subjected to Viggo-age. At least there's fighting."

"Word man…"

"You wanna eat before we start the movies?" Francie asked.

"Vaughn and I have eaten at really weird times today, I think we'll wait, at least I will…Vaughn you hungry?"

"Not right now."

"K, Will what about you?"

"Yeah I could eat a house."

Francie smiled, "Ok, come on, let's find something."

Will handed Sydney the controller and followed Francie into the kitchen.

Sydney took her place next to Vaughn on the couch and the two steadily made their way through another level. "We're getting really good at this game."

"Well that great saving thing…that helps," Vaughn pointed out.

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah, it does."

"Too bad life doesn't have a save button…or a reset…" Vaughn said quietly as they waited for the next level to load.

Sydney paused the game, "It would be nice wouldn't it…"

"Yeah, it would," Vaughn said looking down, "Or stop…fast forward…rewind…pause…all those buttons would come in handy…"

Sydney made Vaughn look at her, "You ok? You wanna talk about something?"

"No…I'm just saying…sometimes life would be easier if you could pause and save…deal with whatever it is…then start again…"

"In a way we can…"

"Yeah…but not in the way you'd like to all the time."

"I understand honey…"

Vaughn nodded, "Yeah…just wish sometimes it worked like that."

"Yeah…I don't think it's supposed to be that easy though…"

"No…I know…"

"You sure you don't wanna talk about something honey?"

"No, I'm ok…just thinking out loud."

Sydney watched his eyes, and he smiled at her, "Honest…no deep lingering thoughts, just commenting out loud."

She brought her hand to his cheek and he leaned into it. She closed the space between them then, sealing it with a deep kiss.

"You wanna play some more or stop?" Sydney asked when they parted, their faces still close together.

"We can play some more, unless Will and Fran are done then we could just wait and watch the movie…s…plural," he said with a soft smile.

"Why don't we just wait regardless," Sydney decided, finalizing it by talking the controllers and turning off the console. She came back to the couch and snuggled close to him, her legs folded underneath her and her head on his shoulder, his leaning towards hers. Her hand fell on his chest, warm and calming.

"Six hours of glorious Viggo watching…" she chided quietly.

Vaughn chuckled, "Six glorious hours of fighting, monsters, blood, and Liv Tyler…not to mention that half naked chick in the forest…the elf…mmm yeah…I love these movies…"

"What half naked elf in the forest? The lady of the forest?"

"Yeah…"

"She's not half naked," Sydney pointed out.

"Well it's a white, kinda sheer-y gown…leaves much to speculate about," he said with a very pleased smile.

Sydney nodded, "I guess I deserved that."

"Yes, you did."

They went back to a peaceful and contented silence, just enjoying the warmth and company of the other when they both jumped at the sound of glass breaking in the kitchen.

"Dumbass!" Francie sputtered, "That was my grandmother's dish!"

Will put his hands up, "I've got it under control…it's all good…I'll buy you a new one!" he pleaded before dropping to the floor and picking up pieces. "It wouldn't have happened if you would have been keeping your hands to yourself!" Will retorted.

Sydney and Vaughn were laughing on the couch as the other pair quietly kept up a half-argument. By the time it was over, they could tell that they had mended their ways and were now engaged in some prime make-up kissing.

Will still had a smear of lipstick on his mouth when they reentered the living room, Francie quickly lunging over at him to wipe it off, making Sydney and Vaughn giggle all the more.

"Well…" Will started.

Vaughn snorted, "It's ok…we do that all the time…but Syd's not big into lipstick…so I'm in the clear usually…"

Will blushed, "Yeah…right…then…so you wanna start the movies? I can make popcorn."

Francie jumped up after having sat down a second before, "No! I'll get it…"

Will looked at her strangely.

"It's not that I don't trust you," she said kissing him quickly and staring off again for the kitchen. "Go ahead, by the time it's starting after the previews the popcorn will be ready."

Will walked over and started the movie, and then went to grab drinks to go with the popcorn. He and Francie returned a few minutes later and handed out the drinks and bowls of popcorn, and they all began watching and eating in earnest.

"Vaughn…we've never had dinner," Sydney suddenly blurted out a few minutes into the film.

Vaughn chuckled, "It's ok, I wasn't that hungry…this'll be fine."

"You should have something more substantial."

He looked at her, "If I'm hungry later, I'll have a sandwich. You're gonna miss Viggo…" he pointed out.

Sydney smiled, "Ok then…tell me if you're hungry later."

All four settled into a silence only interrupted by the munching of popcorn and a few plot related questions.

They took an intermission break between the films at around 9:00 and then agreed that they could all make it for the second film…


	61. Chapter 256: What’d We Miss?

**Chapter 256: What'd We Miss?**

_"Relative calm is expected in South Central Los Angeles for the next several weeks, as looters stay home and try to program their new VCRs." – Weekend Update _

"He gave her a look you could have poured on a waffle." – Ring Lardner

"Homer: Marge? Since I'm not talking to Lisa, would you please ask her to pass me the syrup?  
Marge: Dear, please pass your father the syrup, Lisa.  
Lisa: Bart, tell Dad I will only pass the syrup if it won't be used on any meat product.  
Bart: (To Homer) You dunkin' your sausages in that syrup homeboy?  
Homer: Marge, tell Bart I just want to drink a nice glass of syrup like I do every morning.  
Marge: Tell him yourself, you're ignoring Lisa, not Bart.  
Homer: Bart, thank your mother for pointing that out.  
Marge: Homer, you're not, not talking to me, and secondly, I heard what you said.  
Homer: Lisa, tell your mother to get off my case!  
Bart: Uhhh, Dad. Lisa's the one you're not talking to.  
Homer: Bart! Go to your room.  
Lisa: Why don't you just eat him, Dad!  
Homer: I don't need any serving suggestions from you, you barbeque wrecking, know-nothing know-it-all!  
Lisa: That's IT! I can't live in a house with this prehistoric carnivore. I'm out of here!  
Homer: That's it! Go to your room!" – "The Simpsons: Lisa the Vegetarian"

"There is no hope for a civilization which starts each day to the sound of an alarm clock." – Author Unknown

* * *

Sydney and Vaughn jerked awake at the sound of the phone ringing. Both were slightly disoriented by the surroundings…they were not in their bedroom…

"Morning…" Vaughn said, yawning.

"Morning," Sydney replied.

"What, huh…where…What'd we miss?" Will suddenly sat up from the floor when the answering machine kicked in and a nasally voice rang out, "Hello…this is Marge with Advanced Properties…I'm just calling to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime chance at owning your very own timeshare property…"

Francie stretched on the floor next to the sitting form of Will, "Oh man…what time is it?" she asked.

Will looked over at the clock, "HOLY SHIT!"

Francie sat up instantly, "What?"

"It's 8:02! I'm late for work!" He yelled, jumping up and hitting his foot on the table, "DAMNIT!"

Francie got up in a likewise manner and both she and Will ran off to the bedroom and bathroom to try to ready themselves in a hurry. Both were yelling as they passed in the hallway about falling asleep and no one waking.

Sydney and Vaughn leisurely took their time waking and then sat up slowly, Sydney helping Vaughn get up. They assumed a similar position to the night before, cuddling on the couch and watching bemusedly as the other half-dressed couple stumbled their way to readiness for the day.

"Want breakfast?" Sydney asked.

Vaughn yawned, "Sure…let's wait till their gone though…the way I move, I'm likely to get mowed down in their haste."

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah, this is one of those times I'm SO enjoying being home with you…we don't have anywhere to be…nothing to hurry for…"

Vaughn smiled, "Ditto…there are advantages to being on leave, that is a fact."

Sydney cuddled more into Vaughn and before long, both Will and Francie had rushed out of the house still sputtering and yelling their goodbyes as they both finished dressing on their way out the door.

Sydney waited a moment as the house was once again peaceful and quiet and then moved away from Vaughn's warm body and turned the television off. "Want breakfast now?"

Vaughn smiled, "Yes, breakfast would be good."

Sydney walked off towards the kitchen in search of a suitable breakfast food, leaving Vaughn on the couch. She called out to him from the kitchen, "Ooooo Francie got blueberry waffles! Should we have those?"

"I'm right here, you don't have to yell," Vaughn said with a smirk.

Sydney turned around, seeing him sitting on the stool again, "I think I've been away from work too long – that's the second time you've snuck up on me," Sydney said, but her tone was light with a hint of pride in it.

Vaughn smiled back and shifted on the stool before slowly getting off and walking over to Sydney on the other side of the counter.

Sydney watched him out of the corner of her eye as she put the waffles in the toaster. Before long, Vaughn was out of her line of peripheral vision and his arm was around her waist, his mouth pressing a kiss into the back of her neck. She closed her eyes and leaned back slightly, careful not to put too much of her weight on him, and relished in the missed feeling of him just standing behind her.

"This is nice," Sydney said quietly, not really meaning to say it as she thought he'd take it, but she just felt another kiss press into her and his arm tighten.

"Yeah, I've missed holding you…"

Sydney sighed in contentment and they simply stayed standing in the kitchen for a few minutes.

Eventually, another kiss was pressed and Vaughn said quietly and remorsefully, "I've gotta sit down honey…I'm sorry…"

Sydney turned around and eased him back towards the counter, "Can you lean?"

"Probably," he said, looking back at the counter where he was leaning, "At least for a little while."

Sydney smiled and touched his face, "You should put your sling back on…you've had it off all night…" She turned back to the toaster, pressing the lever to make the waffles go down and then walked past him to retrieve his sling. She put his arm in the sling and then gently lifted it over his head, "Just one more day honey…"

"Yeah, hope so."

She turned when she heard the waffles pop from the toaster and put them on plates. "You wanna try to eat out here? Living room? Where do you wanna eat?"

"Let's try it here…I think I can make it on the stools…can you get me a pillow like last time?"

"Sure," Sydney said, walking off to get him one as he hobbled back to the stools. She placed the pillow in back of him and eased him back, waiting for a minute to see if he was going to be comfortable, then she brought the plates over, poured them both some juice and grabbed the syrup from the pantry. "There…now you can make soggy waffles," she said with a wink.

He smiled and she watched as he took the syrup bottle and meticulously filled each small square with syrup.

"How old are you again?" she asked, sitting down next to him.

"You have to fill each one…if you miss one…the others get jealous," he said, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

Sydney shook her head.

"Can you cut this for me?" he asked.

"All the syrup will just run out on the plate…you realize this right?" she asked as she cut up the waffle.

Vaughn nodded, "Yes…but that's not what's important – they were all treated equally in the beginning…"

Sydney looked around the kitchen, "My boyfriend ladies and gentlemen…and I stress the 'boy.'"

He looked at her as he took a bite, "You're just jealous cause the waffle is covered in syrup and not you."

"One day…" Sydney said in a sing-song-y voice.

Vaughn looked over at her, his mouth agape.

She closed it gently, "Watch out…you'll lose syrup…"

Vaughn looked away, "Well…I'm not sure I'll ever look at syrup the same way again…cause now all I see when I look at it is you covered in it…"

Sydney chuckled and took another bite, "Nice Vaughn."

"Well! You said it!" he retorted, taking his own bite.

Sydney smiled, "Not changing subjects, we need to make a list for today…"

He looked over at her, "Why, you don't wanna talk about covering you in syrup any more?"

"Well do you have any idea how messy that would be? All sticky…"

"Well we could, ya know, WASH after…or I could just use a little…way less than I use for waffles or pancakes…"

She looked at him, "We'll see…anyway…the list…" she said again, getting the pad of paper and a pencil.

He thought a minute, "Well I've got therapy…so that takes out an hour…"

"Ya think we should include mandatory things on the list?"

"Well we put eating on there last time…maybe we should be more creative, like…picnic lunch outside or pie for dinner…"

Sydney smirked, "Did Will put you up to that last one?"

"Uh no, that was one I came up with all my own…I can be mischievous…" he said with a raised brow.

"Oh I know you can…"

"Ok…we can do that…let's make an inventive lunch then for today…"

Vaughn thought again, "Hmm…oooooh," he said suddenly, that little boy gleam in his eyes, "Can we change the order of meals one day…like have breakfast for lunch, lunch for dinner and dinner for breakfast?"

She smiled, "Sure…"

He blushed, "Anyway…uhm…peanut butter and jelly sandwiches…"

Sydney giggled, "I haven't had those in a long time."

"They're great!" Vaughn said with a smile.

"Yes, they are, pb & j it is," she said writing it down, "Ok what else."

"We could," he cleared his throat, "Watch the second Lord of the Rings…"

Sydney snorted, "Yeah, good plan, I'll write that down too."

"Make a lil note there too," he said pointing to where she wrote it on the list, "Try to stay awake…"

Sydney laughed and noted, "Stay awake," next to the entry.

"Maybe we can watch the movie while we eat…"

"Good idea," Sydney said, connecting those two things on the list, "What about exercise…what do you want to do with that today?"

"Maybe walk around the patio…play with Donnie in the backyard for a while?"

"Sure," Sydney said, "I think it's supposed to rain today…later…"

"Ok, then we can do it right after lunch…hopefully the movie will be over before Barnett gets here…"

"We can always stop it, exercise and then wait until Barnett leaves to watch the rest."

"Ok…but what are we gonna do until lunch?"

"Hmm…well…let's exercise first and then we can start the movie…and then stop it to make lunch…watch it till Barnett gets here."

"Ok, that sounds good…" Vaughn paused, "and when is sex?"

Sydney giggled and turned to kiss him quickly, "I have sex all under control…"

Vaughn looked over at her with a questioning in his eyes, "Do you now…"

"Yup," she said quickly, "You done?"

"Yeah…"

"Great, K, then we can exercise."

"Donovan!" Vaughn called after thinking about Sydney's sexual information withholding.


	62. Chapter 257: Mighty Morphine Power Puppy

**Chapter 257: Mighty Morphine Power Puppy**

_"From the dog's point of view, his master is an elongated and abnormally cunning dog." – Mabel Louise Robinson _

"Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend." – Corey Ford

"Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement." – Charles M. Schulz

"A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down." – Robert Benchley

* * *

The little dog scampered over quickly, his tongue lolling and obviously very happy that his master had called him. He put his paws up on Vaughn's stool and looked up at him expectantly.

"I know I haven't been very attentive to you lately…I'm glad Will has been…but pretty soon buddy we're gonna be jogging again and taking walks…just like before…k buddy?"

Donovan barked loudly, obviously happy over what Vaughn was saying. Vaughn couldn't be sure, but he swore most times, that little dog totally understood what he was saying.

Donovan moved his paws off the stool and Vaughn stood, starting to walk towards the patio, leaving Sydney momentarily wondering where he'd went. She immediately went to his side, smiling at the way he seemed to just take off now. Donovan bounded out the door and then quickly did a 180-degree turn and bounded back; ecstatic that Vaughn was playing with him again. He did the similar circular moves a few more times before stopping and trotting happily alongside his master's side.

"I'll go get a ball…" Sydney said looking at Vaughn, "You be ok?"

Vaughn nodded and waited patiently for Sydney to return, carrying on a conversation with Donovan.

When Sydney returned, she handed a tennis ball to Vaughn and Donovan started jumping from right to left excitedly, eyeing the ball. He suddenly sat down, the tail swishing wildly in back of him, thinking he had to be good before Vaughn would throw the ball.

Vaughn laughed, "No Donovan…it's ok…just give me a minute here…" he said with a smile as he tried to figure out how to throw with his non-dominant hand. Eventually, he figured it out and awkwardly threw the ball, managing to get it pretty far, and in a fairly straight line. The dog flew after the ball, grabbing it in his mouth with a bunch of grass attached and ran back to Vaughn, waiting for him to bend down like he usually did to get the ball. He looked at Vaughn strangely and then looked at Sydney, walking over to her and dropping the ball. Sydney smiled and picked it up, handing it back to Vaughn with a slight visage of disgust, "It's sorta slimy."

Vaughn smiled and threw the ball again, "Yeah…but you get used to it…"

They kept up the process of Vaughn throwing, Donovan fetching and Sydney picking up the ball for some time, the dog seemingly more than happy to keep the charade going for as long as possible. Sydney smiled as she watched the interaction between the dog and the man she loved. It was incredibly…sweet was the only word she could come up with, both making up for lost days in one simple fragment of time. Eventually, the little dog's body was wearing out, he would still get the ball, but his return trip back to Sydney was a slower trot and fatigue was evidently setting in. Vaughn had a similar look; the exercise not as quickly taxing as walking, but Sydney could sense a slower and obvious fatigue was developing.

On Donovan's next trip back, Sydney grabbed the ball and looked at Vaughn, "Why don't we go inside now…let Donnie rest…"

Vaughn grinned at her statement, knowing full well that she meant him just as much as the dog, "Ok."

They turned and walked back to the house, Donovan eagerly trotting in front of them and heading straight for his water dish, lapping greedily at the water.

Sydney chuckled when they passed the dog, "You want some too?" she asked.

"Yeah, that'd be good…I'd like mine in a glass though if you don't mind…"

"No bowl, got it." She grabbed a glass and filled it with ice water, setting it on the counter for him as he wincingly settled on the stool.

Sydney took the stool next to him, and watched as he downed the glass, both animal and master adoringly similar at the moment. "More?"

"Mmm…no I think that's good."

"You wanna take a bath or shower now?"

"Sure…let's take a shower, it'll take less time probably, then you can get back to your Viggo…"

"And you can get back to the fighting and the half-naked chick in the woods."

"Right."

Sydney took his hand and they walked into the bathroom. Vaughn waited while she undressed and then did the same for him, taking off the wrap and bandages, and stepped into the shower. Sydney adjusted the temperature and began to wash Vaughn's hair, but it was somewhat difficult when he kept tickling her around her ribs.

"Vaughn!" she finally yelled at him, her hands leaving trails of soap down his neck and face with her jerks.

"Ouch…stinging…" he said, closing one eye.

She smirked and brought his head under the spray, "Serves you right." Of course that only encouraged him further in tickling her.

She finally gave up on his hair and started with the rest of his body, doing a bit of her own tickling and making him pull away from her. When she was finished with him, having thoroughly made him squirm when she had washed his legs she washed her hair and then handed him the soap, "Be nice," she instructed.

He had an evil gleam in his eye, but when he started, he was gentle with his touch, running the suds over her body with ease and precision, like she were glass, the most precious thing in the world to him. The tickling stopped, and once he had washed her back and shoulders, he pulled her to him, her back meeting his chest, and kept her close as he ran his hand over her stomach, up to her breasts, teasing the nipples with his soapy hands and making circles around and under her breasts.

"Ok…" he said quietly, "you're gonna have to do the rest…"

She nodded and moved away slightly, finishing the parts he was not yet able to reach. When she was finished, she turned around and pulled him closer, switching their positions so he was nearer to the spray and made sure that his back got a good dose of the pulsing water. He jerked slightly when the water first hit is and she reached behind him to adjust the spray, turning it to a gentle massage.

"Better?" she asked with a smile.

He nodded and smiled back, stretching his neck as the water loosened the wounds.

She closed the gap between them and held onto him around the waist, his head falling to her shoulder, eyes closed, the water comforting him almost as much as she did.

They stood that way under the water until it turned cold, Sydney never suggesting that enough time had passed for his back. Finally, he picked his head up, "Water's getting cold," he said somewhat annoyed.

"Yeah, it does that…"

He smiled, "We can get out now…"

She nodded and reached around him again to turn off the shower and faucet and then pulled his hand to move out of the stall. They went through the usual routine of bandaging before Sydney asked, "Shave?"

Vaughn nodded and happily let her do the task for him.

"I think we should leave your shirt off again, ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

"K, I'll bring the rest of your clothes in here."

"Ok."

Sydney went off to the bedroom and came back fully dressed with Vaughn's clothes in her hands, "Hmm…" she said as she got his socks on.

"What?"

"Well…we'll have to leave the sling off again otherwise the strap I'm sure will rub on your back."

"Well we'll just be on the couch; it should be fine. I get it off tomorrow anyway."

"Yes, but I was given very strict instructions you see by your doctor."

Vaughn laughed, "I won't tell…you lie and I'll swear to it."

"Ok, sounds like a plan," she said happily, grabbing his other hand and hauling him to his feet. He started off without her and actually beat her to the couch. "You're getting faster…" she said with a smile as she walked to the television and started the movie.

Vaughn smiled, "Yup…pretty soon you're not even gonna be able to keep up."

Sydney smirked back, "In all areas?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Mmhmm…"

"You want anything before I sit down?"

"Nope, just you."

Sydney sat down and cuddled next to him, her head on his bare shoulder, "Aww…honey, Viggo doesn't compare…"

"Thank God," Vaughn said with a grin, pressing his lips to her head.

The movie started and Sydney and Vaughn huddled closer, Sydney's warm hand pressed right over Vaughn's heart. He swore every time she did that, his heart beat a little faster. He wondered if she could tell, if she could see and feel the affect she had on him, but if she did, she never voiced it.

Sydney squealed nonetheless when Viggo made his first appearance and Vaughn just chuckled when her hand patted his chest, "Just admiring beauty honey…nothing to worry about…"

Vaughn let out a similar sound, in the form of 'Woohoo!' when Liv Tyler made her first appearance and instead of a pat he got a slap on his chest, "Hey! Just admiring beauty!" he repeated.

"Silly man…only women are allowed to do that…you…you get slapped."

Vaughn shook his head, "I'll try to remember that."

Sydney nodded on his shoulder, "You would do well to remember."

They fell into a silence then while watching, and about an hour into it, Vaughn looked down to see that Sydney had dozed off. He smirked and let her sleep a while longer. When he glanced at the clock and it was nearing 12:45, he finally decided he had to wake her up. "Syd…" he said quietly, squeezing her shoulder.

She shifted and burrowed further, but didn't wake.

He smiled and shook her slightly, "Syd…"

She yawned and slowly opened her eyes.

"Can't keep up with me already…" he said with a crooked smile, "And I'm the one that exercised…"

She yawned again, "Oh shut up…"

"You missed prime Viggo-age."

"Damn…" Sydney said in a heartfelt tone.

"When did you fall asleep?"

Sydney chewed on her lip for a second, "Uhm…pretty early." She said, her voice raising at the end like it was a question.

Vaughn chuckled, "I didn't want to wake you…if you're not hungry you can just go back to sleep, but I know you wanted to stop the movie for lunch."

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"I can wait."

Sydney smiled, "Are you hungry?" she asked again.

Vaughn returned the smile, "I can wait or eat, your choice."

Sydney pressed a kiss to his jaw and then got up, "I'll make the sandwiches, you chill here."

"Ok."


	63. Chapter 258: Fruit Wars – A Peanut Butte

**Chapter 258: Fruit Wars – A Peanut Butter Love Triangle**

_"The rule is jam tomorrow and jam yesterday, but never jam today." – Lewis Carroll _

"Peanut butter [is the pâté of childhood." – Florence Fabricant

"Never judge a book by its movie." – J. W. Eagan

"What did the potato chip say to the battery? 'If you're Eveready, I'm Frito Lay.'" – Author Unknown

* * *

Sydney got out the plates and bread and grabbed the peanut butter from the pantry with a smile before heading to the refrigerator to grab the jelly. She found that they had both grape jelly and strawberry jam. "Vaughn? You want grape jelly or strawberry jam?" she yelled.

There was a sound of disgust from the living room, "UGH! Strawberry!" he yelled back.

Sydney stopped spreading the peanut butter for a moment, "You have a problem with grape jelly?" she asked.

"Yes…you make wine from grapes, not jelly."

Sydney snorted, "You just sounded SO European…"

"Well…"

"I happen to like grape jelly…it's what will be on my sandwich."

Vaughn laughed, "I can't believe we just had a cultural conversation over peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

"See!" Sydney yelled, "It's called peanut butter and JELLY…not JAM."

"Oh come on."

"You put jam on toast…"

"Well it's all bread Sydney…"

She thought a minute, "Hmm…well ok…jam only goes on toasted products."

"Tell the world honey…tell the world."

Sydney laughed and put the sandwiches on plates and grabbed a bag of chips before heading off for the living room. She made another trip for two glasses of milk and his pills and then sat down next to Vaughn, handing him his plate.

She watched with interest as he slowly peeled the crust off the sandwich and set it on the side in pure, kid-like form.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said shaking her head. She placed the bag on the couch between them, "I hope Cheddar and Sour Cream meet your criteria…they go well with my sandwich cause I have the jelly that wine is made out of…so ya know the cheese goes well…"

Vaughn snorted, "They're fine." He gestured to the movie, "You wanna back it up to where you fell asleep?"

"No, that's fine, I've seen it before…and we have it now…so it's good."

"Ok."

They fell into silence again, the only sounds chewing, chip crunching and the occasional gulp of milk.

Sydney only left the couch once more to take away their dishes from lunch, and then returned, finding that this time Vaughn had paused the movie. "You didn't have to do that."

"Well, I didn't want you to miss anymore Viggo than you already did with your nap."

She smiled and leaned into him, "Thanks honey…I couldn't ask for anyone better." She sighed contentedly, "Yeah…got the love of my life…and my boyfriend all right here…"

Vaughn laughed, "I dunno Syd…you might want to rethink this whole in love thing…he swings that sword like a girl…and I'm pretty sure I just saw him checking out the dwarf's ass."

Sydney looked up at him, her mouth agape before a gasp issued forth, "Apologize to the king!" she said, pointing to the television.

Vaughn laughed harder, "Sydney," he said gently, "the King is dead, he's left the building...but he also left behind some great music…" he added with a grin.

Sydney moved away from him, her arms over her chest, "I cannot believe you just insulted Viggo…and there is a vast difference between kings here Vaughn. Obviously, no one has made that distinction for you. Elvis – he's the music king…Viggo…Viggo is something entirely different," she said dreamily, "he is…indescribable…" she looked at the screen in admiration.

Vaughn looked at her and then the television and then back to Sydney, "So I guess sex is off before Barnett gets here huh?"

Sydney's mouth twisted in amused annoyance before she looked back at him, "You can swing a nice sword Vaughn…but yeah, it's definitely off because of your conduct towards the king of middle earth."

Vaughn sighed, "Yeah…I guess I'll just have to settle for Liv…"

Sydney moved back to him and replaced her head on his shoulder.

"Does this mean I'm off the hook for the king comments?"

Sydney looked up at him, "Not even remotely…but I'll let it slide for now…you make a nice pillow."

Vaughn chuckled, "Ok then."

Sydney cuddled further into her favorite pillow and Vaughn's arm slipped effortlessly around her as they settled back into silent watching.

The doorbell ringing pulled them out of their intense watching and enjoyment of the…story and plot…and they both looked at each other wildly before turning to the clock.

"Shit!" Sydney said, moving away from Vaughn, "It's two! I didn't even think to look at the time!"

"Damn…" Vaughn said, "There's only a few minutes left too…ya think if we just don't answer the door, she'll wait until it's over?"

Sydney snorted and quickly replaced his shirt before she moved to the door, opening it, "Hi Dr. Barnett, come on in…we're just finishing up a movie." Sydney moved back to the couch and Barnett shut the door and stood behind it.

"Hi Dr. Barnett," Vaughn said.

"Hello Michael," Barnett said with a smile, watching him enjoy the film.

Thankfully, she only had to wait a few minutes and the credits rolled.

"Ok, all done," Sydney said with a smile, "Sorry we made you wait, but it seemed foolish to stop my Viggo-fest when there were only a few minutes left."

"Not a problem, I've never turned down a good time," Barnett said with a smirk.

Vaughn sighed and threw his hand in the air, "Great…two of them…I cannot win."

Barnett and Sydney laughed, "Yeah, you're surrounded by female Viggo-worshippers." She thought a minute, "You wanna stay out here today for therapy?" she asked Vaughn.

"Sure…" he replied, "Where does that put you?"

Sydney smiled, "I'll take Donovan for a walk, get some stuff done outside."

"Ok," Vaughn said with a smile, "have fun."

Sydney looked at him for a minute, "You ok that I won't be here?"

"Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna try to kill Dr. Barnett today." He craned to look at her, "You don't have any plans for that do you?"

Barnett chuckled, "No, not today."

"Ok then."

Sydney smiled, "Alright, I'll see you in awhile."

Vaughn pulled her down for a kiss and Sydney called Donovan before saying her goodbyes and quietly exiting the house.

Barnett sat down on the couch on the right side of Vaughn, "How are you doing today Michael?"

"I'm good."

"That's good to hear."

"Yeah, it's been good the last few days."

"That's excellent. And Sydney's been instructing you in the finer points of Mr. Mortensen I take it?"

Vaughn chuckled, "Yeah, she thinks he's very attractive. But I'm fairly confident that she'll be dreaming about me instead."

Barnett studied him for a minute, "Something give you the impression she's not normally?"

"No…"

She didn't say anything, knowing there was something more.

"I had a nightmare a few nights ago…I wasn't dreaming about Sydney. Well, I was but it wasn't me she was with."

"And who was she with?"

"Sark."

"And this was a sexual dream?"

"Yeah…I got the pleasure of watching them in our bed…but we handled it…better than in the past."

"Give me some emotions that you felt after the dream, after you woke up."

"Fear…anger…betrayal…disgust…"

"And what did you do with those emotions? How long did it take you to overcome them, to stop feeling them?"

"I got off the bed and ran; well I use that term loosely, for the shower. Sydney took the shower with me and eventually we talked about it…she changed the sheets…" he paused, looking down, "I found that rather significant…like she was getting rid of what had happened…it took a while. Less than other nightmares…there was still some lingering when we finally got back to the bed, but the shower helped."

"What did you talk about?"

"I apologized, but we both talked about it not being anyone's fault. I didn't go into details, I told her the basics, and I really preferred to let the rest just float away. I knew that it didn't happen, but I can't stop what I dream, and she understands that, but that doesn't mean she didn't tell me numerous times that nothing had ever happened. It was still nice to hear. And she held me and I eventually fell back to sleep. No more nightmares…then we touched on it again in the morning. We're trying to be honest."

"It's good you both know that neither is to blame; neither of you did anything wrong. There's no reason to blame. I'm glad you've taken that to heart. It shows progress Michael. Honesty is best, and I think you and Sydney talking openly is excellent. Things happen and the best thing is to talk about it and move on."

Vaughn nodded, smiling, "Yeah we're trying…"

"So you managed to move past it and it's been good for the past few days?"

"Yes it has."

"How so?"

"Well, I've walked a lot more than before. I even got to play with Donovan, that's my dog's name," he said with a proud grin.

Barnett smiled.

"Yeah, well we haven't had a chance to play at all for…well since this happened. Will takes great care of him but I think we both thoroughly enjoyed the experience."

"Well it certainly sounds like it boosted your spirits."

"Yeah, it really did. And walking did too. It seems like every time I try, I can walk farther, so it's rather liberating."

"I'm very proud of you Michael."

"Thanks me too…I think people take shoes for granted too," he said, his forehead scrunching.

"I'm sure they do."

"Yeah, I didn't really notice until the other day when I walked outside how much I'd missed shoes. Seriously, I haven't worn shoes in like nine weeks. I love shoes now."

Barnett chuckled.

"Walking is a form of freedom I think. One that I thoroughly enjoy and will never take for granted again…"

"Most people do not realize how much freedom they have in a day – the simple act of walking…until it's taken away."

"Right…I did my homework too…" Vaughn said proudly.

"That's wonderful Michael," Barnett said ecstatically.

"Yeah, Sydney and I have been making routines and we make sure that they're flexible like a running to-do list only no times slots, so we don't fall into ruts."

"That's great."

"Yeah, it's fun too."

"It should be – that's the smart way to do it." She smirked, "Did Sydney get a bell?"

Vaughn laughed loudly, "No, but we talked about that as well. I did get offered a cookie…" he said turning to smile at her.

"As I remember, you said 'cookies are good.'"

"Yes, I did say that. I think other things might be better however."

"I might agree…"

"And I suggested a barbeque."

Barnett smiled again, "Did you?"

"Yes, I did. Weiss has a girlfriend and I suggested we have a barbeque to meet her and her daughter. And I get the sling off this weekend too, so I'm very much looking forward to it."

"Excellent progress and I'm glad to see you're socializing."

"Yeah…I sort of blurted it out but I'm really glad I did."

"I think this will be a great opportunity for you. And I'd like for you to do a homework related to it."

"Ok."

"Since this weekend is sure to bring different emotions for you and you've accomplished so much this week, I'd like you to write an emotion your feeling at different times of the day and why and then we'll discuss it next session."

Vaughn nodded, "I can do that."

"Good. Really, I'm very proud of you and all you've accomplished Michael," She said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He smiled genuinely, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She got up, "Will you be ok alone for a few minutes until Sydney gets back?"

"She's in the front yard," Vaughn said.

"She is?"

"Yeah, she's been there for a few minutes."

"How did you know that?"

"Sydney Spider-sense."

Barnett smiled, "I see…you have a great weekend Michael. I look forward to hearing about it on Monday."

"Thanks, you too."

"I'll see you Monday."

"Bye Dr. Barnett."

She smiled and walked to the front door, greeting Sydney on her way out, "Have a nice weekend."

"You too," Sydney replied, entering the house with Donovan by her side.


	64. Chapter 259: Hooked on Phonics: F is for

**PN:** I'm sorry that I havent updated this in FOREVER, but honestly, I just thought that no one missed it. So, Thank you Jessica Jones for the emails. They made me want to start again. I'll try to never let that long of a gap happen again.

**Chapter 259: Hooked on Phonics: F is for Fellatio**

_"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.  
Life is beauty, admire it.  
Life is bliss, taste it.  
Life is a dream, realize it. _

Life is a challenge, meet it.  
Life is a duty, complete it.  
Life is a game, play it.  
Life is costly, care for it.

Life is wealth, keep it.  
Life is love, enjoy it.  
Life is mystery, know it.  
Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.  
Life is a song, sing it.  
Life is a struggle, accept it.  
Life is tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.  
Life is luck, make it.  
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.  
Life is life, fight for it." – Mother Theresa

"Children are the most desirable opponents at scrabble as they are both easy to beat and fun to cheat." – Fran Lebowitz

"Don't bother discussing sex with small children. They rarely have anything to add." – Fran Lebowitz

* * *

The dog ran over to Vaughn, jumping up on the couch and planting his head on Vaughn's thigh. Sydney chuckled and sat down, sitting farther away than normal because the dog was in the middle.

"Good session?" she asked.

"Yeah, it was…she's proud of me."

"I am too. We're all proud of you."

"Thanks. I am too."

"That's good Vaughn. You should be proud of yourself."

He nodded, "You know what I think we should do tonight?"

"What?" Sydney asked.

"I think after dinner…and a polite amount of time with Francie and Will we should retire to the bedroom and spend all night making love."

"Do you now?"

"Yes. Because it's been a few days and we keep getting interrupted."

"I see."

"Yeah, so I think we should pull an all-nighter."

"Ok."

"You cool with that?"

"You have no idea how down I am with that Mr. Vaughn."

"Sort of like the first night we spent together, only with more sex."

"Got it."

"Yeah."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Yeah. You said you had sex covered for tonight. That gonna fit into these plans?"

"I think it will…What should we do till then?"

"Think about it?"

Sydney laughed, "Anything else?"

"Uhm…"

Sydney waited a moment, "Vaughn?"

"Hang on I'm thinking about sex…I'll get to the 'anything else' in a minute."

"Ok, you just take a few minutes and think about sex."

"Ok I will." He stared off pensively, "Hmm? What?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Oh, that must have been you moaning in my head then."

Sydney snorted, "We have to move the dog Vaughn, we're going to taint him."

"Down boy," Vaughn said gently, the dog obeying and vacating the couch, running over to his food and water. "Better?"

"Much…"

"Did you figure out what we're gonna do until dinner?"

"I thought you were gonna think about it after sex."

He looked at her a moment, "You really wanna wait that long?"

"Good point." Sydney thought a moment before smiling, "I have an idea…" she said, getting up off the couch.

Vaughn called after her, "Hey if it involves you getting away from me I don't like this idea."

Sydney laughed from the hallway as she reemerged, a rectangular box in her hands.

"Sex toys?" Vaughn asked hopefully.

Sydney smirked, "No. Not in this box Vaughn…that's a different box."

"How come I've never seen this other box?"

"Soon…"

"Great, and you want me to stop thinking about sex? You just turned it into hyper-drive."

Sydney chuckled, "We're going to do this."

"Scrabble?" he asked, looking at her strangely. "I knew you were kinky Syd…but wow…stop…I'm getting dizzy."

Sydney smacked him on the arm, "I didn't tell you how we're going to play it."

"Strip scrabble?"

"Close."

"Works for me. Explain."

Sydney smiled, "Ok, we're going to play Scrabble normally, but with a small twist."

"And that would be?"

"All the words have to be sexual."

"You're not helping my whole thought process here."

"I'm not trying to…"

"I see," Vaughn said nodding. "You want me thinking about it like until it happens."

"Yes."

"Ok then."

"Rules are simple – it's like regular scrabble, 'cept the points don't really count."

"Do we get to do whatever word we spell?"

Sydney smirked, "Not now, but if you keep a running list."

"I will," Vaughn assured her.

She nodded and set up the board, giving a rack to Vaughn and letting him draw the first letter to see who was going to go first. He got a G; she got a J. "You go first honey," she said putting the letters back in the pouch and mixing them up. She handed him the pouch again and they each took out seven letters and placed them on their racks.

Vaughn looked at his letters, Sydney doing the same.

"They all have to be sexual words?"

"Yes."

"Ok," Vaughn smiled and put the letters, "SYD," on the board.

Sydney looked down, "Awww Vaughn…"

He smiled, "I think you count."

"Thank you. That's sweet honey."

"Sexiest thing in the world."

Sydney leaned over and kissed him, her hand gripping at the back of his hair. "You are the best man in the whole world."

He smiled, "Thanks."

Sydney looked at her letters and added "EX" to the S on SYD, making "SEX."

"Inventive."

"Shut up."

Vaughn smiled and placed the letters "ELL" off of the Y of SYD, making "YELL."

Sydney smirked, "Nice." She added "MIN" off of the E of SEX, making "MINE."

Vaughn smiled, "Awww…"

"Well I did write that on you…thought it appropriate."

"Very," Vaughn said, pausing a moment to look at the board. He added "ICK" to the last L on YELL, making "LICK."

"Aww, it's too bad we aren't playing the spell-and-do-it version."

Vaughn chuckled.

Sydney added the letters "LIT" to the C in LICK, making "CLIT."

"Very nice." Vaughn said, adding "ISS" to the K of LICK, making "KISS."

"One of my favorite things to do," Sydney said nodding. She smirked and giggled, before she added "EMEN" to the last S of KISS, making "SEMEN."

"Well that's assured for later," Vaughn said smiling.

"Like clockwork."

Vaughn added "OUTH" to the M of SEMEN, making "MOUTH."

"I love your mouth," Sydney commented, "But I think I might love this more sometimes," Sydney said, adding the letters "HRUST" onto the T of MOUTH, making "THRUST."

"I like thrusting as well," Vaughn said with a grin, "And I'm sorry, but I have the letters and I have to add this one," he said, adding the letters "ANDY" to the R of THRUST, making "RANDY."

"Oh thank you Austin Powers."

Vaughn chuckled, "Couldn't help it."

Sydney added the letters "EEP" to the D on RANDY, making "DEEP."

"We should read like the whole board when we're done," Vaughn said, reading over some of the words.

"Good idea."

Vaughn added "GSPO" onto the T of CLIT, making, "GSPOT."

"Oh good one," Sydney commented.

"Thanks."

Sydney giggled again, "Sorry…" She added the letters "VI" before the G of GSPOT and "GO" after, making "VIGGO."

"That was SO uncalled for."

"Well! He's sexual."

"MOOD KILLER would be my next word if I had that many letters."

Sydney laughed, "Oh I'm only kidding and I had the letters."

Vaughn nodded wildly, "Yup, ok." He added "CUT" before the O of VIGGO, and "FF" after, making "CUTOFF."

Sydney countered with adding "OUCH" off of the C of CUTOFF, making "COUCH."

"Well, I could take that more than one way, but I'm going to go with 'I'm gonna be on the couch.'"

"Yup."

"Hmm…" he thought a moment and then added "WORSH" before the I of MINE and "P" after, making "WORSHIP."

Sydney smiled, "That's better." She added, "CUFF" before the S of WORSHIP, making "CUFFS."

Vaughn looked over at her.

"I told you I had everything taken care of tonight…"

"Damn woman…I don't think I'm gonna make it until tonight…"

She smirked, "Have to wait," she said in a sing-song voice, "Your turn Vaughn."

He looked down at the board and added, "BL" before the O of WORSHIP and "WJOB" after, making "BLOWJOB."

She smiled.

"Maybe we could do that one earlier…" he said with a raised brow.

"Nope."

"Damn."

Sydney smiled, and added "FELLATI" before the second O of BLOWJOB, making "FELLATIO."

"Had to outdo me with the technical term…"

"Yup, and I won."

"Yes you did."

"That means you wear the cuffs."

"What?" he asked, "I can't…"

"You can for your one hand and the other will be fine. Read the fine print Vaughn, winner chooses."

"s…actually, I could get into that," he said nodding, "With you."

She smiled, "I understand, and I'll be careful and we'll be gentle…and if you want to stop, we will."

"I know."

She looked at the clock, "We still have about an hour and a half before Francie and Will get home. What do you want to do?"

"The sooner we get done with dinner, the sooner we can dump them and – I mean, the sooner we can politely excuse ourselves at 6:30 to retire for the evening." He yawned dramatically, "I think I'm getting tired already."

Sydney chuckled, "I can see that. Well…hmm what should we make?"

"What will occupy our time significantly enough that I'll forget…or at least lessen what's now on my mind?"

"Something that will take an hour and a half…" Sydney said smiling, "Lasagna takes about that long. Should we make that?"

Vaughn started to get up, "Come on woman, if we don't start it now we'll have to wait longer."

She giggled and started to get up with him, pulling him up the rest of the way as they walked to the kitchen.


	65. Chapter 260: Doin’ It Italian Style

**Chapter 260: Doin' It Italian Style**

_"KISS, n. A word invented by the poets as a rhyme for "bliss." It is supposed to signify, in a general way, some kind of rite or ceremony appertaining to a good understanding; but the manner of its performance is unknown to this lexicographer." – Ambrose Bierce _

"What is a kiss? Why this, as some approve:  
The sure, sweet cement, glue, and lime of love." – Robert Herrick

"Life is short. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly." – Robert Doisneau

"Garfield: My life has been saved by the miracle of lasagna."

"There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves." – Thomas Wolfe

* * *

She got out a pan and skillet and turned on the oven to preheat it to 400 degrees. She took out some ground beef and placed it in A skillet, "You think you can stir the meat while it browns?"

Vaughn snorted, "Yeah I think I might be able to handle that."

Sydney smirked, "Don't get smart."

"Wouldn't dream of it." The meat started to brown and he turned to her, "Can you hand me the spices?"

Sydney smiled, "Why sure Chef Vaughn."

He smiled back at her and started to add some garlic and oregano and basil to the meat, throwing in some parsley and Tabasco sauce as well. "Onions," he said, holding out his hand for Sydney to give him the dish of finely diced onion pieces.

She smiled as she watched him add some more Tabasco and then handed her the spoon. "Your turn."

He backed up against the counter and watched as she tasted it thus far. "Mmm…I think we'll have to make you cook more often Vaughn." She added the tomato sauce and started to mix it together, bringing it to a boil. She tasted it again and then brought the spoon over to Vaughn.

He grinned, "We don't have very good luck with tasting dishes…usually we wind up reheating."

"We have to eat it this time and hold off so we can eat the rest later as a snack."

"Ok," Vaughn said happily, tasting the mix as Sydney's hand lingered under the spoon, brushing against his cheek briefly as she moved the spoon back. "Very good…it needs a little cheese though."

"In the sauce?"

"Yeah it'll taste better, trust me."

Sydney smiled and added some of both the mozzarella and cheddar cheese to the sauce, letting it melt, and then mixed it in.

"Ok," She said turning to get the pan. "We have oven ready noodles cause we're all prepared," she told him, smiling as she put a layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish and then added a layer of noodles, then the marble cheeses, then more sauce and so on until the cheese was on top and the pan was filled. She covered the dish with foil and set it in the oven. "Now we have about 40 minutes, but I have to turn it at 20."

"Ok…so what do we do until then?"

"Uhm…we could play another round of naughty scrabble…"

"And wind up screwing over the board."

"Right…uhm…"

"Are we having wine?"

She smirked, "Yeah, we can have wine. You wanna pick some out?"

"Sure," he said happily, making his way over to the part of the pantry that contained the wine. "Oh look…" he said handing her a bottle, "we can have this one – and it has GRAPES on the label. GRAPES for WINE."

"Well I can just as easily get the jelly jar and show you the grapes on it."

"Get it," he challenged.

She stomped over to the refrigerator and grabbed the jar. "Well, ok – just because it does not have grapes on it proves nothing," she said in defiance.

"Mmhmm…riiiiight."

"Shut up Vaughn."

"Can't take the heat huh?"

"Oh, I can take the heat…can you take the retaliation?"

"I'm sure I'll manage."

"Smart ass."

"Sore loser."

"European."

"American."

She smiled for a moment before she mauled him on the spot, her mouth melding to his in a searing kiss, making the temperature in the kitchen rise more than it had with the simple heat of the working oven.

Vaughn pulled away, "You know this in no way means you've won."

"Shut up and kiss me."

He obeyed, eagerly threading his hand through her hair and pulling her closer again for another kiss. She responded in kind, her hands running up and down his back, stopping every once in a while to run through the bottom of his hair. Motion stopped, the heat only increased further, the pan sizzling in tune to their desire.

"Syd…" Vaughn whispered, resting his forehead on hers, his breath uneven and thready as he cupped her cheek. "We have to stop…or the lasagna will be black by the time they get here."

Sydney chuckled, "Now you're the one stopping us…"

"Well, ideally, I would love to just take you right here on the kitchen floor, but since that is not an option right now and neither is against the refrigerator or anywhere for fear of being caught literally with our pants down, we have to."

"I have to turn the lasagna."

"Yes you do."

"I will…"

"Ok."

"Soon," she replied, kissing him longingly one more time, making sure that the kiss would help until they were able to move their foreplay to the bedroom. She left him breathless, leaning heavily against the counter as she visibly stumbled over to the oven herself to rotate the pan. Once it was done and the oven door was again closed, she turned back to him, her face now more pronouncedly flushed. "'Nother 20 minutes till I have to uncover it…"

"Hmm, what to do?"

"Can't imagine…"

"Wanna make out on the couch?" he asked, grinning.

"Yes," Sydney answered quickly, taking his hand and pulling him along with her slowly.

Once he sat down on the couch, Vaughn looked over at the table as he waited for Sydney to sit down. "Ah shit."

"What?"

"The game…we can't leave it here like that…"

"Yeah, you're right…guess we should clean that up…"

"Yeah…wanna make out first?"

Sydney chuckled, "Sure." She settled into the couch and turned, taking his face in her hand and captured his lips again. Their tongues began to explore well charted territory, every tooth and intricacy carefully logged in the other's brain. Of course, that didn't mean it wasn't fun to repave the path to discovery.

Vaughn often wondered how it was that Sydney still intrigued and surprised him. He found out something new every day, and kissing her was no exception. It seemed that every time, a new intoxicating quest lay ahead of him, and he willingly put forth every effort to plunder the hidden and buried treasure of her delectable mouth. Her mouth was indescribable. He couldn't have pinned it down to label it one thing. It was soft and sweet and moist like sponge cake one moment and hot and fiery, tingling like hot sauce the next. Her lips were full and always glistening, luscious and succulent; they parted for him like elevator doors, the doors then closing; the destination: heaven.

There were times where Sydney wondered where she ended and Vaughn began when they kissed. She lost herself in his mouth so many times, it was a wonder they managed to come out at two whole people after it. His kisses held a wide range, and she supposed hers did as well, depending on the mood. He could be urgent and needy, the kind of kisses that leave your mouth swollen, or he could be soft and slow, that left her wondering if he had kissed her at all. The feeling always assured her that he had, and she reveled in every kind of kiss he offered. They were always strong and loving, no matter how gentle. She often smiled when she thought of the paradox that made, how his kisses could be both strong and gentle at the same time, and it wasn't something she could explain. There was just strength behind him in all things he did; many times she had not only needed that strength but lived off it. There were no lies in his kisses, no pretenses, nothing hidden, nothing gained but pure love and devotion. Kissing him was like air…

The oven buzzer went off, signaling the end of the 40-minute baking session. Sydney pulled back, her hands lingering around his face, "I'll be right back."

She got up and ran to the kitchen, taking the pan out of the oven and uncovering it, throwing the foil aside. She placed the pan back in the oven and watched it a moment, setting the timer again for 15 minutes. "Should we have salad or something else?" Sydney asked.

"Uhm, what else do we have?"

"I think there might be some bread or oh…maybe breadsticks?"

"YEEEES…let's have breadsticks," Vaughn said happily.

Sydney chuckled and took them out of the package, setting them on a cookie sheet and placing them in with the lasagna so they would both be done around the same time.

She came back to the couch, "I'd love to engage in another round, but we really should pick this up, and we've only got like 10 minutes."

"That's fine," Vaughn said with a smile, watching her pick up the pieces of their game.

"I should get plates and stuff out too," she said after putting the game away.

"Where are we gonna eat?"

"Where would you like to?"

"Wherever will get it done the quickest."

Sydney smiled, "Probably in here then or the table."

"I can try the table."

"I'll set the table then."

Vaughn nodded, "Sounds good. Need help?"

"Sure, you wanna handle plates?"

"If I do them one at a time," he smirked.

"You can do them anyway you want to."

"Ok then."

They both walked back to the kitchen and started to set the table.

"I hope they're not late because that's almost done."

"Oh, I have an idea…" Vaughn offered.

"What?"

"If they're late, we eat and leave them a note with the rest in the fridge and we can get started earlier," he said happily.

Sydney shook her head, "One track mind, huh baby?"

"Would you want it on a different track?"

"Absolutely not," she said, coming over to where he had set the last plate. She kissed him softly as the door opened and Francie and Will walked in.


	66. Chapter 261: Mission: Sexpossible

**Chapter 261: Mission: Sexpossible**

_"Don't be a sexist. Chicks hate that." – Unknown _

"In union there is strength." – Aesop

"Give a man a free hand and he'll run it all over you." – Mae West

"When I grow up I want to be a little boy." – Joseph Heller

* * *

"Something smells good," Will offered.

"The heavenly smell of a meal already cooking," Francie added whimsically.

Sydney pulled away from Vaughn slightly, but stayed in his embrace.

"Hi guys."

"Hey, what's cooking?"

"Lasagna," she said, "and it's only got a few minutes. You wanna pour the wine Will?"

"Sure," he said, throwing his jacket over the back of the couch.

Francie smiled and sat down at the table, "You have no idea how nice it is after cooking all day to just come home sometimes and not cook. I love it and I love cooking meals at home, but sometimes, it's so nice to have someone else do it."

Sydney nodded as the oven buzzed again, signaling the completion of the meal.

She got the pan and the breadsticks out and let the lasagna sit for a few minutes before she cut it. Will poured the wine and then sat down in the chair adjacent to Francie.

Vaughn did the same, sitting down carefully on the hard-backed chair.

Will looked over at him, "You want me to get you a pillow?"

Vaughn smiled, "Sure, that'd be great."

Will nodded shortly and retrieved a pillow, placing it between Vaughn and the hard, offending wood.

He sat down again then as Sydney brought the pan of lasagna over and the breadsticks, putting cut pieces on everyone's plates before sitting herself.

She immediately took Vaughn's plate and cut it up for him, handing it back with a sweet smile. She passed the breadsticks around and soon they settled into pleasant dinner conversation about their days.

"How late were you guys today?" Vaughn asked with a smirk.

Will shook his head, "Traffic sucked, but I wasn't that late. My back was killing me all day though from sleeping on the floor."

Francie grinned, "I'm sort of, ya know, the boss, so I'm not sure why I was so rushed this morning. If I would have gotten there at noon, nobody really can tell me not to. It's my restaurant."

"The power of being a boss," Will said. "Why did I quit working for you again?"

"You quit to be a spy."

"Right…but why? I would be dating the boss now."

Francie laughed, "I might have been harder on you…"

"I could take it." He thought a minute, "You still have those handcuffs Syd?"

Sydney snorted, "Yeah, but I'm sorry to say they'll be in use tonight."

Will's fork hung in mid-air, his mouth open. The lasagna fell off the fork, plopping back on the plate loudly.

Vaughn chuckled.

Will looked down at the empty fork and then at Vaughn, "You have your pair?"

Vaughn laughed loudly.

Francie smacked him softly on the arm, "You're terrible."

"They're at my apartment Will, sorry."

"Damn."

"I could bring them in when we're done," Sydney offered.

Will smirked, "That's ok…thanks."

Francie looked over at Sydney, "This is so good Syd."

"Thanks," Sydney said proudly.

"Yeah…it's really great…" Vaughn added.

Sydney looked at him and smiled.

"I'm done," he grinned. "Really tired too…"

Francie laughed, "Wow that wasn't obvious Michael – you sure you're a spy?"

Vaughn smirked, "Yup…are ya done Syd?"

Sydney laughed as well, "Vaughn you're being impolite. Dinner is not done."

"But I am," he whined.

"You haven't even eaten half of the lasagna Vaughn," Sydney remarked.

He looked down and then looked back at her, saying under his breath, "We'll eat it later."

Will laughed, "You might want to eat a lil more ya know…strength and all…especially with handcuffs…lucky bastard…"

Francie smacked him again, "And there go your chances!"

"Shit."

Vaughn's brow furrowed, "Hmm…maybe you're right," he said getting another bite.

Sydney giggled, taking another bite herself.

"Dude…your sex life and my comments on it get me in more trouble," Will said, grabbing his wine glass.

"Sorry man."

"S'ok…make-up sex is kinda fun."

Francie shook her head, "You'll be making up a whole lot tonight."

"I like a challenge."

"Wow this house is gonna be rockin'…" Vaughn added.

Will looked at him a minute and then looked at Francie, "Ya know…I'm getting kinda tired myself…"

"Oh great, now they're both doing it," Francie said looking at Sydney.

"Are you complaining?"

"Not really…"

Vaughn and Will shared a victory glance until Francie turned back to them, "But boys…there are dishes to do…"

"And we've had no dessert."

"Sex is dessert!" Vaughn said excitedly.

"Do we have dessert?" Will asked.

Sydney thought a minute, "Well…not prepared…"

Will looked at Vaughn, "I'll take care of the dishes."

"Yeah, you can do them faster," Vaughn said nodding, the boys in the planning stage.

Will nodded and got up, collecting dishes, "And I was a waiter, so I can carry a whole bunch."

He carried a large stack over to the dishwasher and hurriedly stuffed the dishes in, making another trip for glasses and silverware.

Sydney looked over at Francie, "You know – why didn't we think of this before?"

"What?" Francie asked.

"If we had known they'd clean for sex, we could have taken advantage of this before."

"Good point. We'll remember that now."

"You know I'm sitting right here…" Vaughn said.

"And we will not be exploited," Will added; standing next to Vaughn after clearing the table.

Vaughn looked up at him, "Dude…yeah we will."

"Well…yeah…but we have to say that to save our dignity."

"I have no dignity if I get this as a reward."

"Good point. Ok, all clear…ready?" Will asked hopefully.

Sydney and Francie shared a glace. "Well…" Sydney debated looking around the room, "I think the table could stand a wash."

Vaughn and Will both groaned, Will finally snapping and walking over to Francie's chair. "Stand up," he said.

Francie looked at him strangely, but stood up, screeching when Will picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, "That's it, come on."

"Put me down Will!" She yelled laughing.

He stopped and set her down. She looked at him, his inviting cool blue eyes and warm smile lighting up his whole face. She kissed him impulsively, her hands threading in his soft hair. He looked surprised when she pulled back, even more so when she yanked on his tie and pulled him along with her down the hall.

"Night guys," Francie said.

"Night!" Will yelled, the door shutting loudly behind them.

Sydney chuckled as they watched the pair leave. She turned to Vaughn, "Stay here for a second ok?"

He smiled and nodded, enjoying the view as she walked down the hall to their bedroom. She closed the door and he turned back to look at the table, smiling at their dinner and thinking about things to come. He wasn't sure how long she was gone, but it didn't seem like very long. She sauntered back out with a sexy grin playing on her face. "You ready?"

"More ready than I've been in a long time," he said, taking the hand she extended to him.

She nodded and they walked hand-in-hand down the hallway to the bedroom. She had closed it again on her way out, leaving the secrets behind it hidden from his view.

She turned and smiled at him, her hand on the knob…


	67. Chapter 262: I Know Something You Don’t

**Chapter 262: I Know Something You Don't Know…**

_"Nothing risqué, nothing gained." – Alexander Woollcott _

"When choosing between two evils, I always try to choose the one I haven't tried before." – Mae West

"You got a fetish? That's cool, that's cool. I've got one too…Handcuffs." – Mark Rivers (Touching Evil)

"Factoid: Melting an ice cube in your mouth burns 2.3 calories."

* * *

She turned it slowly, eyeing him the whole time, his eyes trained on the slowly turning doorknob enclosed in her hand. The door pushed open and soft candlelight poured out into the dark hallway. The dancing flames illuminated the room like millions of lightening bugs flickering in the twilight. He smiled as his gaze met hers, the light flashing in both of their eyes. "It's beautiful," he said as she pulled him inside the room closing the door again, shutting the world out. 

"You like it?" she asked.

He nodded, his attention diverted suddenly by the sound of hard rain falling outside the window, hitting the paved patio and the roof like marbles on a tabletop. They watched the sheets of water pour down for a moment as they looked out the windows of the patio and then Vaughn looked back at her, aglow in the yellowness of the room, her face shining like a celestial being. He breathed her in, smelling the rain outside mixing with the scent of vanilla and the scent that was all Sydney and Sydney alone; part honey, part jasmine, part vanilla, part sweet, part tangy, part strength and all his. She turned to see him watching her, his hand still locked in hers and his smile brighter than all the candles in the room. "Looks like the candles were a good idea," she said as they both jumped slightly from a loud rumble of thunder.

They both chuckled as Sydney led him to the bed, sitting him on the edge and leaning over to take his mouth in hers. The rain seemed to still as they started out slowly, kisses gentle and smooth, their lips and tongues moving in perfect harmony. The kisses gained intensity and so did the rain, feeding off of their passion, a bright and incandescent flash of lightening breaking the night sky and their kisses momentarily as they jumped again in surprise. A loud clap of thunder followed, fueling them on, their kisses starting again with renewed vigor, teeth and tongues clashing as the storm started to rage against the night.

"Syd…" Vaughn croaked out as she left his mouth and laid him back on the bed, latching onto his neck in the process and nipping gently. "Syd…" he repeated, "Now…can't wait…"

Sydney stopped and leaned over him, her arms stretched out, pushing her above him. "Me neither," she agreed, sitting up on his lap and ripping her shirt over her head.

His hand ran up the front of her shorts, plucking the button and dragging the zipper down. His hand ventured further then, up and down the satiny fabric of her underwear and then tracing up her stomach, splaying out in a warm gesture. She shivered under his hand, her own coming to rest on his chest, kneading and enjoying the feel of him under her hands again.

"Take them off," Vaughn said gruffly, with a need to his tone, bringing his hand down to her panties again.

She smiled and got off of him, standing to step out of the shorts and underwear. She pulled off his shorts and boxers in one fluid and excitedly violent rip. He smirked at her as the rain continued to pour, more flashing lightening signaling another change in the events of the evening. Sydney was pleased to see that his erection was already fully engorged, waiting for her, resting against his stomach. She licked her lips in anticipation and sat on his lap again, his legs still hanging off of the bed. He took her hand to steady her on the bed, her body close to the edge as she teetered on top of him. It took them all of a few seconds for him to be inside her, the days without coupling making the need almost unbearable. Vaughn groaned loudly as he slipped easily inside, her walls already fully moist and ready for him, the days-long foreplay making her need just as imminent as his. Her fingers ground into his chest and she bit her lip as her eyes slipped closed at the feeling of him filling and stretching her. His head pushed back into the mattress as she started to ride him, the sensations visceral and coursing through every pore of his body.

The lambent lightening broke the sky once more as they came quickly in a manner of a few thrusts and grinds, the wait and the demand for release too overpowering for either of them to stop. Sydney stayed atop him, he still quivering inside her as their breathing slowed.

"That was fast," Vaughn said chuckling.

Sydney chuckled with him, "I'm surprised we lasted that long…seriously like what…four maybe five thrusts?"

"If that," Vaughn said with a grin. "Can't help it…you make me crazy."

"Yeah, no shit," Sydney said, easing off of him. "Come on, let's move up," she added, helping him get farther on the bed.

"Wow that rain's not letting up, is it?" Vaughn said as she laid down beside him.

"Nope…and neither are we, I hope you know."

Vaughn grinned, "I do remember something about handcuffs…"

"Mmhmm…I'll get them…you wait here…"

"You don't keep them in here?"

Sydney grinned, "I'll be right back…"

"Then where do you keep them?" he asked confused as she started off down the hall, grabbing her robe on the way.

She giggled and left him without answering returning in a few minutes with something behind her back.

"What'cha got there?" he asked, trying to peek behind her.

"Nothing…" she said sweetly. "Close your eyes…"

He smirked and closed them, hearing her set something on the nightstand. Then he felt her on the bed and on his lap again and he heard the distinct sound of metal handcuffs. He grinned when he heard her cuff the end to the bed and then felt something soft wrap around his wrist. His brow furrowed but he heard her voice in his ear, "So it won't hurt you…" she whispered, and he smiled; she always thought of everything. He felt the metal close around his wrapped wrist and then she sat back. "I want to talk about something before we go on…"

He opened his eyes and looked at her, his right arm firmly fixed to the bed and his left resting on the bed, "What?"

She held up a long strip of cloth, "I want to blindfold you…you won't be able to keep your eyes closed the whole time…and it won't be a surprise…" she trailed off, and her hands came to rest on his chest as she thought a minute. "They didn't do this to you…but I know you didn't know what was happening…and I don't ever want you to feel like that here."

"I don't."

"I know but I don't want this to be the first time…so if you don't want to, then you won't wear it…"

"It's not the same thing."

"I know that…and you say you do…but will you when we start?"

He thought a moment, "I think so…I know it's you…and it's not the same Sydney."

"I'm only asking because I don't want to hurt you."

"You never hurt me. You've padded the handcuffs Syd," he said smirking and gesturing with his head towards his cuffed wrist, "I feel safe with you, no matter what."

"If you're sure."

He smiled, "I'm sure."

She nodded, "Ok…and I think we have to take the rib wrap off…for this part…but you have to be careful, ok?"

"Yeah I'll be careful."

"If it starts to hurt you tell me." He nodded and she gently tied the piece of cloth around his eyes. She whispered in his ear again, "If you want to stop…you tell me…just say…" she stopped as his head leaned into her, "Grape Jelly."

He laughed loudly as she chuckled against him, the vibrations making him tingle all over. Not being able to see her made it somehow even more erotic. He had no clue what she had up her sleeve and he really didn't care, he was more than happy to find out. She took the wrap off gently and laid it aside.

He felt her leave the bed for a moment and he heard her rustling for a few things. She watched him follow her with the sound, his spy sense kicking in to tell him where she was in the room. He flinched and jumped a little when a loud clap of thunder echoed in the sky, not being able to see the warning lightening flash before. She hoped the storm would let up a bit for at least this part so it wouldn't add to any uneasiness he might be feeling.

He felt the bed depress when she came back and sat on his lap, his erection already rising again to alert her to its readiness. But he also knew that the actual act was a long way off, for the cuffs and the blindfold told him something longer was in store.

"JESUS!" he yelled, "That's cold!" when a long trail of water from something that could only be an ice cube, ran down his chest and pooled near his stomach.

Sydney smirked at his reaction happy that she had surprised him. He pulled against the restraining cuffs as she ran another few trails around his nipples. "Still miss hockey?"

"Mmm not so much NOW," he said, the last word becoming louder as she pressed the ice into his stomach.

She rubbed the water into his skin as she grabbed another ice cube and ran it up his chest to his neck. He flinched away from the cold but then moaned and leaned in instead. She took another cube in her other hand and started to run both along his neck on either side. He shuddered, but she wasn't sure it was from the temperature or her touch.

"Shiiiiiiit," he yelled in a raspy voice as she dipped the ice into and around his ears. She ran it over his face next, the water running in rivulets down his cheeks and onto the pillow beneath his head. She delved onto his right shoulder and into his armpit, making him pull away, the handcuffs clanking against the headboard.

He felt her body leave his, but he could tell she was still on the bed. He knew right where she was the minute his thigh was assaulted with the ice, shuddering and shivering in the wake of her icy torment.

When she reached his foot after having moved it all the way down his leg, swirling it at the knee he yelped, the freezing making him arch his whole body off of the bed. "Syd…stop…I can't…no more…"

She smirked and stopped, watching his chest as it heaved from the exertion. "You ok?" she asked.

He nodded, "Just…please…no more ice…"

"Should I move on?"

"There's more?" he asked, the tone making Sydney chuckle, "Much more honey…"

"Ok…"

She smiled, "We'll give the ice a rest though, although you're so hot right now, you could melt an iceberg."

He groaned, "God…Syd…don't start that I'll never make it through…"

She grinned as she picked her next item. She sat on his lap again, massaging the water that was left into his skin. "Ready?"

"Yeah," he replied with a nod.

She held up the container and drizzled something on his chest.

He gasped as she leaned down and started to lick it off of him. "That better NOT be syrup!" he said.

She ran her finger in the sticky substance and brought it up to his mouth.

"NO fair!" he said unhappily.

She chuckled, "I won the game…"

"But but…syrup was MY idea!"

"You'll get your chance," she said as she licked the rest off of him. "Don't worry that was my only experiment with syrup, we can save the rest for your inventiveness."

"Good."

She smiled at his approving nod and leaned close to his ear, "I'll be right back…"

"Mmm…" Vaughn felt her leave the bed and heard her pattering down the hall once again. He thought he caught the distinct sound of the microwave, but with the sound of the softer rain outside the window he couldn't be sure. He heard the door close softly and once again sensed Sydney's presence in the room.

She sat on his lap again, and he heard a soft giggle and he wasn't sure if he wanted to smile or cringe. He was fairly sure he did a combination of both and then let out something that resembled a surprised moan when something warm hit his chest. It was warm and slightly wet, but not a runny substance. It felt gel-like…

"Wha…Syd…what is that?" he asked breathily as her tongue delved into the pool of it on his chest.

She giggled and swirled her tongue around, humming as if deciding whether or not to tell him, which she of course knew was going to drive him crazy.

He arched his back and she grinned triumphantly, happy that she knew him this well. "Syd…" he said, trying to whine, but with all the swirling and the warmth spreading across his chest, it came out more like a whisper.

She licked the rest off of his chest and then moved up to kiss him, making sure he could taste what had been lingering on his body.

"Cherry?" he asked, still confused.

"Mmhmm," she nodded, although he couldn't see her do it.

"Cherry what?"

"Pie filling."

"I knew I heard the microwave," he said, "and damn what a good idea," he added beaming. He waited a minute, "Are we done yet?"

She chuckled, "Nooooope…be right back…"

"Uhhhnnn Syd…come ON." But she was already gone down the hall again. He knew he heard the microwave again so he braced himself for more warm things, and when he heard her return to the room, he was prepared for the next onslaught.


	68. Chapter 263: Just Desserts

**Chapter 263: Just Desserts**

_"Always serve too much hot fudge sauce on hot fudge sundaes. It makes people overjoyed, and puts them in your debt." – Judith Olney _

"The sex was so good that even the neighbors had a cigarette." – Unknown

"When the surgeon came to see her on the morning after her operation, the young woman asked her somewhat hesitantly how long it would be before she could resume her sex life. 'I really haven't thought about it,' gulped the stunned surgeon. 'You're the first patient who's asked me that after a tonsillectomy!'" – Unknown

"Describing a Sundae: 'When I carried the first spoonful to my mouth...my taste buds experienced a violent ecstasy. A whole opera of sensation rolled off my tongue...'" – Henri Troyat

"My ice cream, it's alive!" – SpongeBob Squarepants

"I can't sprinkle sprinkles on. I lose control when I have sprinkles. I'm shaky. I still remember the great sprinkle accident of 1982." – Ryan Stiles

* * *

"Since I had pie…" She stopped, and plopped something on his chest.

"AH!" he said, "Jesus!"

She chuckled, "I think I need it ala mode…and it's FRENCH vanilla…just so you know…"

"FUCK, I was NOT ready for that…"

She giggled and watched as some of the ice cream started to melt down the sides of his chest. She immediately dove in and licked up the sides of his chest, catching the running ice cream on one side before switching and doing the same to the other side. He jerked slightly and shuddered as her tongue scraped the ice cream away, the warmth of her tongue and the temperature of the ice cream incredibly and erotically antithetical.

"Hmm…" she said as she watched him writhe on the bed, "I think this needs something else…ya know…ice cream really isn't good unless it has…" and he felt something drizzle on top of the ice cream, "hot fudge."

"Ah shit!" he yelled, pulling on the handcuffs as the hot fudge hit his cooled and sensitized skin.

She smiled and watched as the fudge melted some more of the ice cream, sending more down the sides of his chest and some pooling down his belly into his navel. She dipped down again, swirling her tongue into the ice cream gathered at his navel and watched as the arching of his back sent the scoop of ice cream on the move. She smirked and moved it back, settling him a little and catching the drips with her fingers.

He was shivering, his breathing elevated and the presence of his throbbing cock behind her was evidence of his immense arousal at what she was doing. She loved that she could make him get this way and that he loved every minute of it.

"Hmm…let's see…" she said reaching for something else, "I think we need…" he felt something else hit his chest, something light, and not liquid. "Whipped cream…"

She watched as he shifted positions, his legs moving farther apart as the tension between his legs begged for release.

"Ooops…" she said, "I think I put a little bit too much on…went all over the place…"

"Uhn…God…" he writhed as she began to trace patterns in the whipped cream that was not on the ice cream, every once in awhile, her finger trailing up to his mouth to give him a taste of whatever she had just ran her finger through.

"That just about does it…" she said, and he moved again in anticipation, hoping that this would end his food torment.

She sensed his readiness again and tried not to laugh, "Oh wait…"

He sunk into the bed with a frustrated sigh.

She giggled, "Oh but Vaughn…a sundae isn't a sundae without sprinkles…"

"Aw shit," he said, his head shaking back and forth.

She shook the jar of sprinkles, laughing when a few more than she anticipated fell not only on his chest but literally all over. The sensation of those small articles dropping in random succession on his chest felt oddly erotic, like pebbles hitting his skin over and over. It might have been the way his skin was overly sensitive or it could have been that with his eyes covered, his other senses kicked into high gear. Whatever it was…he couldn't stop the reactions it made him have. His hips lurched up as he moaned, "God Syd…please…please."

"Mmm…not quite done yet," she said as she added her last item and brought one up to his mouth, "Open," she said and he did, parting his lips as she ran the small round fruit across his lips before pushing it in.

He chewed it quickly, "Ok…cherry's on top…now PLEASE," he begged, his both writing again, sending the ice cream in all directions.

Sydney stilled him with her hands and licked at the mixture on his chest. "I'm not done with my Vaughn sundae yet…if you're good…you'll get dessert too…"

He slumped back against the bed; thankful that Sydney had padded the handcuffs or he was sure he would have chewed through his skin by now. He heard no rain anymore, no sounds other than Sydney's eating of the ice cream and heard nothing but the blood rushing in his years. He felt nothing but Sydney atop him and the weight that she pressed into him. The pressure was building in his balls, and he knew if Sydney didn't get to his 'dessert' soon, he wasn't going to have any with her.

He tried to still his breath, to stop the growing ache in his stomach, but he couldn't wait any longer. "Sydney…NOW…seriously…it's gonna be like less than five strokes again if you don't get on me."

She shook her head and clicked her tongue, "Such impatience…"

"SYD. NOW."

She giggled and he felt her scoop up the largest part of the mess on his chest and put it into what he could only assume was a bowl. She put something else in her mouth and slowly licked down his stomach.

He was fairly certain she was going to get on him after that, but she had other plans. He became privy to these plans the moment her lips wrapped around his engorged and straining cock.

She sucked on the tip powerfully; cradling his balls in her hand as her other made its way to the shaft to steady him as he arched off the bed.

"Aw fuck me," he said, his head tossing back and forth on the pillow.

Sydney smiled and sucked more of him into his mouth.

His whole cock was covered in warmth, but not just the warmth of Sydney's mouth; this warmth was hotter, more intense, but not…burning. He tried to wade through his foggy brain to describe it to himself, but the only thing he could come up with was an icy-hot patch. Whatever Sydney was doing, whatever she had in her mouth made his cock feel like it was being swallowed whole in an icy-hot heat. Her fingers danced around his shaft, while her other hand gently kneaded and palmed his balls.

He couldn't take anymore and tried to warn her, but she didn't need any warning; she could tell he was coming even before he knew. She held his balls in her fingers, rubbing gently as his shaft twitched and he emptied himself in her mouth. She stroked his shaft until all the tremors left him, and then gently squeezed his balls one more time before she moved away from him, his cock allowed a bit of respite.

She moved up his body and planted herself in her usual spot, gently removing the blindfold and taking his hand out of the handcuffs. He kept his eyes closed for a minute before he opened them slowly and winced even at the candlelight in the room.

He was still shaking, his breathing not showing any signs of slowing for the moment. When he finally opened his eyes, he looked up at her in awe and wonder, this angel that had been sent to love him. The things she did for him, he couldn't imagine anything better. He pulled her down and their lips met gently, parting and tongues intertwining in the dance they knew so well.

When the parted he smiled, "Was that a cough drop?"

She smirked and nodded, "Honey Lemon Menthol…"

"You are a goddess."

"Yes I know."

"I'm a mess," he said looking down at the traces of fudge and whipped cream, mixed with caked on ice cream and sprinkles, which were all over the place.

Sydney giggled, "I'll get a washcloth." She pushed off of him and walked naked to the bathroom, Vaughn smirking at the confident way in which she did it. He loved that they had reached a comfort level early in their relationship which allowed them not only to act and talk without worrying that the other would judge them, but they were never shy when it came to sex. Perhaps is was just something they both possessed, or that they both knew it was just right, but whatever it was, Sydney was comfort and from what she said to him, she felt the same way.

She knew the smile he had on his face when she returned with a small basin of water and the washcloth. "What are you thinking?"

"Just you…and admiring the view."

She nodded and ran the cloth over his chest, giggling at the sprinkles that littered the whole area.

"I'm surprised you didn't have nuts on it too…"

"Well I thought about it…but I had two and I thought that was enough."

"I have been told I have balls of steel ya know."

Sydney chuckled, "Exactly…I don't need to compensate on my Vaughn sundae then."

She finished cleaning him off and set the basin and the washcloth on the nightstand. "We should take the comforter off…"

"You made it all messy," Vaughn said with a grin.

"Well if you would have laid still."

"Yeah this is all my fault," he said sarcastically, holding out his hand to her so she could help him off the bed. She pulled him up and kissed him, pushing him towards the chair, but he stayed standing, watching as she took the comforter off of the bed. She folded it up so she could take it down to the washer tomorrow and turned to see him smiling at her, walking closer. She stepped into his arms, setting her head on his chest. "Come on…" she said quietly, pulling him with her back to the bed, pulling the sheet back.

She helped him get the wrap in place and then lay back on the bed. She cuddled close to him; her head back on his chest as they took a minute to just relax.

"Can we go slow this time?" he asked as his hand roamed her back.

She picked her head up and smiled at him softly, "Of course."

He returned the smile and then was quiet until he asked suddenly; "You ever get tired of being on top?"

She looked up at him, catching a small sign of the vulnerability he only showed her. She touched his cheek, "No," she said simply.

He nodded and looked away but she made him look back at her.

"Soon."

He nodded again and smiled softly, looking down; but didn't say anything else.


	69. Chapter 264: Courting the Perfect Storm

**Chapter 264: Courting the Perfect Storm**

_"Some men know that a light touch of the tongue, running from a woman's toes to her ears, lingering in the softest way possible in various places in between, given often enough and sincerely enough, would add immeasurably to world peace." – Marianne Williamson _

"The human heart is like a ship on a stormy sea driven about by winds blowing from all four corners of heaven." – Martin Luther

"In the dark dreary nights, when the storm is at its most fierce, the lighthouse burns bright so the sailors can find their way home again. In life the same light burns. This light is fueled with love, faith, and hope. And through life's most fierce storms these three burn their brightest so we also can find our way home again." -- Unknown

"Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." – Jelaluddin Rumi

"You are the most beautiful girl that has ever lived, and it is worth dying to have kissed you." – Dylan Thomas

* * *

"Sit up," she said after a moment of watching him.

He looked at her again and did as she asked, and watched as she moved the pillows to soften the wood against his back. Once he was settled she straddled his lap and moved her head down to his neck, licking her way up his jugular and back to his ear, nipping at the spot that always made him moan. He shifted as he did just that and she leaned back, proud that she had turned him on so easily again. He smirked back at her proud grin, his erection rising behind where she sat. She moved up and gave his cock a few short strokes, sending his head back to hit the headboard softly.

"Can you sit cross-legged?" she asked.

His brow furrowed slightly but he folded his legs as she held onto his rapidly enlarging cock. Once he did as she asked, she gripped him harder and moved back to sit in his lap, placing him at her center and sliding him in easily in one long motion. Their moans mingled as they coupled again, neither ever tiring of the sensations of penetration. She planted her legs outside his folded ones, half kneeling above him and spent a few minutes riding atop him, both of his hands on her hips, rubbing his fingers into the flesh and pulling her forward as she came down on him. Then, she placed her hands on his shoulders and stopped on a down stroke, keeping him deeply imbedded inside her.

He looked up at her and was about to say something, but she placed a finger against his lips, "No talking…not yet."

He nodded and watched her eyes, questioning her that way.

She answered back in kind, her eyes telling him all he needed to know.

He figured out what was going on after a about a minute of staring into her eyes and then he smiled. "I think I get it," he said softly.

She gave him her dimpled smile and they readjusted, his head resting against the headboard again, but his eyes never leaving hers. He pulled her closer and she squeezed him as she shifted in his lap. That was the only time his eyes closed. When they opened, he was looking at her again; their bodies close but their souls closer.

They say that eyes are the windows to the soul, but they couldn't be more wrong. Everything about Sydney was her soul. It was always there…in everything she did, bared for him to see. Her eyes were just another part, but they were one of his favorites. He could get lost in those eyes for hours, and unlike some people, staring into her eyes was not an uncomfortable thing. Here, where there was nothing else between them, no one else but the two of them, he reveled in the love pouring out of her eyes. He heard a low rumble of thunder as the storm picked up outside, but he couldn't decide if he was imagining things or if the storm was in Sydney's eyes. There was thunder there too, and lightening, flashes of bright, glittering and dazzling light, scissoring through the deep chocolate brown, showing the passion she held behind them. Her eyes answered every question he asked; quelled every fear he held inside, stoked every fire she made him feel. He remembered someone once said, 'The soul that can speak through the eyes can also kiss with a gaze.' That described Sydney perfectly.

Sydney had never been one to back down from challenge, but even she backed down from intense staring scrutiny. Things just became too intense. Eyes were a powerful medium but Sydney always loved looking into Vaughn's eyes. There was a quiet intensity in the sea of green, an ocean of memories and feelings that she always found fascinating and not the least bit uncomfortable. His eyes were green yes; that was the scientific and technical definition, but she swore they changed colors. Sometimes they were blue, sometimes gray, sometimes hazel, sometimes black. And it could change at any given time with his moods or the lighting. And when they were her favorite shade of green, it was indescribable. She once sat down and tried to pin the kind of 'green' it was. And she managed to narrow it down to one green – none. It was not like any color of any color wheel or any color pallet; it was a green all his own. It wasn't sea green or dark green; it wasn't forest or lime. It resembled a lawn or grass green, but not really. It wasn't chartreuse or yellow green or pale green or spring green. It was neither olive nor olive drab. It was Vaughn green. And when his eyes were Vaughn green, they were speckled with bits of orange and yellow and tiny flecks of blue and brown, all swirling around the black orb that lay in the middle. His eyes looked like some distant planets in a far-away galaxy, the private universe of Michael Vaughn. So when she looked into those indescribable green eyes, she saw her universe too, wrapped up in all of that swirling color.

It only took a few seconds of intense staring for the two to become quite captivated, both lost in the other, neither paying attention to the storm that had started to rage outside. Hours could have gone by while they gazed into each other, but in reality it probably had only been a long few minutes. The heat radiating between and around them was effulgent; like a hazy and foggy mist hanging in the air. They breathed as one, their hearts almost beating in time.

Sydney could feel Vaughn's steady pulse in her core, the fiery throb seeming to course through her whole body, making her want to squeeze him to relieve some of the ache building inside her. She squeezed him once to take the edge off, but it only made her need and want more, and it only served to make his cock throb with more intensity.

Sydney moved her hands from his shoulders to his chest, making broad strokes and flicking his nipples randomly, her eyes never leaving his.

Vaughn wasn't going to let her have all the fun however, and moved his hands from her hips up and down her back with a feathery touch, making her shiver as he ran his finger up and down her spine.

"I love you," Vaughn whispered, his eyes sparking, making Sydney recognize a new color.

She smiled and whispered, "I love you too," back to him, leaning forward and closing the small space that had been between them, their lips touching gently, reverently, their tongues caressing.

After a torrent of slow and soft kisses, they parted and Sydney's hand threaded into Vaughn's hair. His was already in hers, holding onto the back of her neck while his left moved back to her hip, holding onto her gently.

"I like this," he said as they went back to their eye contact.

"Me too."

"It's intense…but it's not uncomfortable."

"Mmhmm…"

Sydney leaned down and kissed him again, their kisses starting slowly and only building the slightest bit in ardor.

Another bright and jagged bolt of lightening staggered across the dark night sky, setting it ablaze. The crash of thunder that followed reverberated like a bomb going off outside their window, and it made both Sydney and Vaughn jump, the motion causing him to shift and hit the front of her silky walls. They both moaned loudly, their lips melding and their tongues melting into one another as smaller rumbles filled the air.

Sydney started to move slowly, taking Vaughn in and out of her at a leisurely pace. He pushed back up once but then stopped, "Wait…" he said, pulling away slightly.

She looked at him confused, worrying that something was wrong.

"Wait for the lightning," he said, watching her eyes.

She grinned mischievously and gripped him powerfully, his eyes slipping closed as he shifted his legs. She watched him lick his lips and bent down to nip at him when the tongue darted out. He growled back at her, his chest rumbling like the thunder they were waiting for.

She moved off of him slightly and moved her legs around his lower back, making them both shift again as Vaughn settled back, her legs locking them together completely.

They both turned to see another phosphorescent bolt burn it's way across the sky and turned back to each other to wait for the impending thunder clap. They both smiled when it took longer than the last one, but were once again taken by surprise as it turned into a smaller version of the last bomb outside their window. They were less startled than the first time, but enough that the jerking caused incredibly random sensations.

They continued a slow thrusting while they waited, both too worked up to completely stop now. Vaughn's hands roamed Sydney's back before he brought them to the front, kneading and circling her breasts gently. He molded his hands around them as another rumble shook the earth, the vibrations shaking the ground and reaching the bed at just the right moment. Vaughn arched into as Sydney arched away, leaving her neck exposed and Vaughn leaned forward to catch the newly revealed spot. His hand cupped the back her neck and she moaned into him, pressing herself down onto him more, desperate for more of him inside her.

After that, they no longer waited for the thunder to surface, they continued with it accentuating their movements. The sitting position put them too close for a lot of thrusting movement, but grinding was certainly a plus. Sydney was desperately teetering on the edge after a few minutes, Vaughn's cock repeatedly rubbing against her clit as she made patterned movements with her hips. She started with circles, knowing they worked particularly well for both of them in the past, but then she switched, going side-to-side and moving back and forth on him, the pressure on her clit on the forth movement making her whole body pulse with pleasure as it rippled outward from her center all over her body, making even her fingertips tingle.

She moved then to a diamond shape – moving him to completely different spots inside her. His breathing was raspy enough, but when she switched to the new movement, it became even worse, to the point she wondered if they should stop. But when she started to slow he shook his head and encouraged her to keep going. His eyes slipped closed and she knew he wasn't far behind her.

Vaughn's hands moved again to Sydney's back as he thrust upward, just as she slammed down and he scraped against her g-spot. She cried out and threw her head back in ecstasy, grabbing onto him to ground her.

The lightening flashed in Sydney's eyes when she looked back at him and let go, clamping on him powerfully, her muscles contracting around his shaft, sending him over with her as the thunder rolled across the sky, following its inevitable partner. The small light in the corner of the room suddenly clicked off, leaving the room in the dwindling candlelight. He arched into her, as deep as he could go, the tip resting against her cervix. As his climax surged on, his seed flooded into her, coating her walls. Whether it was intentional or inevitable, Vaughn didn't know, but her muscles responded to every one of his spasms, clutching him and holding him inside her for a moment before she'd let go and it would start again.

Vaughn grunted through the tremors that were overtaking him, watching Sydney as she came. She had the innate ability to make him whole with this one act they had perfected long ago. No matter what was wrong, no matter how bad things got, she could always save him, bring him back, and give him his soul back, enrich it, because she already possessed it.

The thunder seemed to still after the largest part of their orgasms had passed, rumbling softly as Sydney's muscles worked the last of his seed from him. He felt her body relax, her back losing the pre-orgasmic tension, and she let out a long and contented sigh that made him smile. Knowing that she took as much away from this as he did made him feel good. It wasn't that he thought Sydney got no enjoyment out of their interludes, but evidence of it was certainly something that made him happy. He wanted it to mean as much, to be as strong for her, to be as healing and safe as it was for him.

She looked at him, running her hands through his hair and leaned to kiss him deeply. He eagerly responded, pulling her closer again. When they parted, she shifted and laid her head on his shoulder, her slowing breath hot on his neck.

He chuckled and she brought her head up, loving the way it felt to have him laugh when he was still inside her. "What?"

"I think we blew the power…"

She giggled with him, running her hand over his chest, "We were pretty powerful there…"

"Yeah…definitely."

"Maybe we should work on getting the power back on…" she said quietly, leaving it open ended.

He smirked, "You're quite insatiable tonight."

"Can't get enough of you."

"Good thing I have a lot to give."

"Mmhmm…"

"Can we eat something first?" Vaughn asked, making Sydney giggle.

"Did I wear you out?"

"Sort of…but you had that whole snack…and I kinda skipped large part of dinner."

Sydney snorted, "Right…sure you want leftovers?"

"Yes," he said nodding. "Can I have a breadstick too?"

She laughed, "Yes you can."

"Can you do that without moving?"

"Not really."

"Hmm…this is a problem."

"It is…"

"I think food is still important if you want to continue."

"Yes, I agree…settled then," she said extracting her legs from behind him and helping him move to stretch his out in front of him again. She grabbed her robe and walked out to the kitchen, laughing quietly when she saw Will's duckie-covered ass sticking out of the refrigerator.


	70. Chapter 265: Duck Hunt

**Chapter 265: Duck Hunt**

_"Those who forget the pasta are condemned to reheat it." – Unknown _

"Kissing is like real estate. The most important thing is location, location, location." – Unknown

"Always behave like a duck- keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath." – Jacob Braude

"Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place." – Ice T

"Gravity. It keeps you rooted to the ground. In space, there's not any gravity. You just kind of leave your feet and go floating around. Is that what being in love is like?" – Josh Brand and John Falsey

* * *

"Will!"

He jumped, hitting his head on the top of the fridge, "JESUS! OUCH!" he said, slowly backing out of the way of the fridge. "You scared the SHIT out of me," he said, rubbing the top of his head.

"Sorry…I had to."

"Yeah…what are you doing up?"

She gave him a look.

"Right…dumb question…I was gonna heat up some of the lasagna for us…but there's no power so I guess we're eating it cold…"

"Make that an order for four."

"Got it," Will said, diving up the pieces of lasagna onto two plates. "So…you two having fun?"

"Yeah…"

"Us too…" he said nodding.

"Can you grab a breadstick too?"

"Sure."

"Then I suppose we shouldn't open the fridge too much, or everything will go bad."

"Yeah, I'll grab some milk too."

"Good idea, I'll come back for it…"

"K."

She walked off to the bedroom with the plate and utensils, "Ok we have cold lasagna, hope that's ok."

"That's great…"

"And your requested breadstick."

"Thanks."

"I've got to run back for milk, don't eat all the food," she said with a wink.

"Gotta keep my strength up, you might wanna hurry."

She walked back to the kitchen and grabbed the two glasses of milk that Will had sitting on the counter. "Thanks Will."

"Sure…see you in the morning…or on the next food run."

"Right. Have fun."

"You too."

They both walked off to their respective bedrooms, Will juggling way too much in his hands.

"Oh and Will?" Sydney said.

He turned back to her, "Yeah?"

"Nice shorts."

He looked down, "Ah shit," he said, shaking his head and turning away from her, "Night," he called out.

Sydney giggled, "Night," and shut the door behind her when she reached the bedroom.

Vaughn was greedily digging into the lasagna by the time she came back.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Will…in his famous duckie shorts."

Vaughn chuckled, as Sydney maneuvered the milk on the bed, "This is really good cold," he said shoveling another bite in.

She giggled as she took a bite and watched him.

"What?" he mumbled through the lasagna.

"Nothing…you hungry?" she asked with a smirk.

"Hey, I've done a lot of work here…all that in time with the lightning stuff…worked up an appetite."

"Right," she said nodding.

"So are Will and Francie having fun too?"

"Yes, he indicated that they were."

"Good…but we're having more fun cause I look more worn out right?"

Sydney laughed, "I don't think they had storm sex, no…I think we've outdone them once again…"

He smiled, "Good…then we can sleep in tomorrow."

"Yes we can and we'll need to."

"You tired yet?"

She smirked, "Nope…you?"

"No…I'm all set now…" he said, letting her take the plate and put it on the nightstand. "That is really good," he said nodding.

She smiled, "I'm glad you like it."

"Mmhmm…I love it…"

"Are you trying to butter me up?"

"Uhm…no…butter hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you mention it…it would be a good sex tool."

Sydney snorted, "Don't think you want to lick that up Vaughn, might want to think of something else."

"I used to eat butter plain when I was a kid."

"Yeah, I think I did too."

"Maybe I could try to revisit my childhood."

"I think you'd throw up, but if you really wanna try…"

"Maybe later, we do have all night," he said raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, I see – this was all a ploy to get me in bed…"

"You are in bed."

"Oh wouldja look at that…I am…"

"Wanna go again?" he asked with a sly smile.

"You bet I do."

"Good, why don't you come over here then."

She moved closer, and they snuggled into the bed, pulling the covers around them.

"We've managed to outlast quite a few of those candles…" Vaughn said as he started to draw circles on her back.

"Yes, that's quite an accomplishment."

"Yeah, I've had a lot of those recently…" Vaughn said proudly.

Sydney looked up at him, "Yes you have…and I think you should be rewarded…"

"Do you now?"

"Yes…" she said as she sat up and kissed his chest, running her tongue over his nipples and her hand over his shoulders, kneading gently.

As Sydney mounted him, the storm settled in the distance, moving onto different cities, different houses, different lovers. The storm moving on did not make this pair of lovers settle however, and as the candles continued to burn out, their passion was only stoked further, reaching new heights again and again.

As their climaxes began to mount once again, the small light in the corner of the room clicked on again, a wave of clocks and the beeping of the answering machine signaling that the power had returned.

Sydney stopped for a second, looking down at a grinning Vaughn.

"I told you we powered the house," he said smugly, thrusting up hard and making her half lose her balance.

She gripped onto his pecs as she tried to compensate for the loss of balance and ground herself as he thrust up again.

As they both lost themselves in the next orgasm, the last candle slowly ebbed away, the light reducing more and more until it was gone in a small, gray, wavy puff of smoke reaching for the heavens.

Sydney moved down to lie on Vaughn's chest, their bodies covered in a fine sheen of sweat, but neither willing to push the warm covers away. They rested for a while in silence; the only sounds the soft pattering of the still dissipating rain and their breath mingling in the peace of the room.

After a few more minutes, Vaughn shifted, making Sydney turn her head up to look at him. He was smiling down at her, "I love you Sydney."

"I love you too…"

"Again?" he asked, a familiar gleam in his eyes.

Sydney chuckled and squeezed him as she sat up. "I do hope you live through tonight…"

"Oh I think I might…you might be a lil sore tomorrow though…I'm glad you can keep up…"

She tickled him before they started again, the rain now completely stopped, the two lovers outlasting yet another storm…


	71. Chapter 266: Sleepless in LA

**Chapter 266: Sleepless in L.A.**

_"The bagel, an unsweetened doughnut with rigor mortis." – Beatrice & Ira Freeman _

"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance." – Ambrose Bierce

"The average, healthy, well-adjusted adult gets up at seven-thirty in the morning feeling just plain terrible." – Jean Kerr

"I have a 'carpe diem' mug and, truthfully, at six in the morning the words do not make me want to seize the day. They make me want to slap a dead poet." – Joanne Sherman

"Early morning cheerfulness can be extremely obnoxious." – William Feather

* * *

"Shit," Vaughn heard after the phone rang in their room. He looked over at the clock, the bright red numbers reading just after 7:30 am.

Sydney scrambled sleepily to grab the phone, "Hullo?"

"Syd!"

"Yeah?"

There was a pause, "It's Tom…"

Sydney groaned and fell back on the bed, handing the phone to Vaughn, "It's the good doctor."

Vaughn grabbed the phone, "Yeah?"

"What's the matter with you guys?"

"What the hell you mean 'what's the matter?' It's freaking before 8:00 am."

"So? I've been up all night."

"So have I."

"Oh," Tom said, pausing again, "Oooooooh…sorry man," he said with a smile in his voice, "Well I wish I would have been up all night doing that but I had a night shift, I get off at 11:00."

"Yeah…You wanna come over then? Lunch maybe?" Vaughn asked yawning.

Tom chuckled, "Sure, that sounds good."

"Ok…good…I'm gonna go back to my nap then, ok?"

"Ok, have a nice nap."

"I'll try. Just as long as you don't call again."

"Noted, I'll see ya later."

"Bye Tom." Vaughn handed the phone back to Sydney who promptly tossed it on the nightstand with a thump.

"Ugh…why did he call so early?" she whined.

"Early shift," Vaughn said, pulling her closer.

"Mmm…" she replied, falling quickly back into slumber, Vaughn following closely behind.

"Shiiiiiiiiiiiit!" Vaughn heard again as the phone rang, "Do people not SLEEP anymore?"

Vaughn turned again to look at the clock, this time the red numbers telling him it was almost 9:30 am. "At least they waited a little longer…"

"Hello?" Sydney said yawning.

"Hello Sydney!"

"Oh hi Amélie," she said, her tone changing, "How are you?"

"I'm good, just checking in, wondering if there is a certain time I should be there."

"Well you can come whenever you like. Vaughn's getting the sling off today as you know."

"That's right!" Amélie said excitedly, "Well I want to be sure to be there for that. When will it come off?"

"Probably around 11:00; that's when Tom is coming over."

"I will leave now then, I'll see you in an hour or so."

"Ok, sounds good, see you then."

"Tell Michael I say hello."

"I will."

"Goodbye Sydney."

"Bye Amélie." Sydney chucked the phone onto the nightstand again and cuddled up next to Vaughn again, "I think we should have…went to bed earlier…"

Vaughn chuckled, "Well…maybe. Would you rather have gotten a full night's sleep?"

"No." Sydney replied quickly and forcefully.

"Ok then."

"You hungry?"

"Not too bad…the snack last night helped…and we probably shouldn't eat a whole bunch before lunch either."

"Hmm ok…well…I could just get us some bagels or something…"

"That sounds really good."

"Ok," Sydney said moving away from him and grabbing her robe, "I'll be right back."

"I'll meet you there."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"We should get the sling on then…"

"Yeah, just don't tell Tom we took it off…"

Sydney smiled, "My lips are sealed," she said as she came back to him, "You wanna get dressed or grab a shower first?"

"Uh…why don't we shower after we eat…the sling will be fine over a robe."

"Good plan," Sydney said, retrieving his robe and getting the sling back on his arm. "Shall we?" she asked, kissing him.

"Lead the way."

Sydney shook her head and took his hand, lacing her fingers around his, "Nope…no leading, just walking together."

"Even better," he said with a smile.

She deposited him in one of the stools and went around the counter to the refrigerator to get the bagels. "What do you want on yours?"

"Peanut butter."

She smiled, "Got it, you want coffee?"

"Yeah, sure, that'd be good."

"Ok."

"Where are Will and Francie?" he asked, turning around to look in the empty living room.

"I'm not sure."

"Hmm…you think they're still sleeping?"

"Probably not…" she answered, putting the bagels in the toaster. She started the coffee and by the time the coffee was ready, she had the bagels all lathered in peanut butter.

She set them on the counter and then came around again to sit next to Vaughn on the stool. "You excited about today?" she asked as she took a bite and watched him.

"Yeah. It'll be nice not to have it…but now the work will really start…which I have a feeling is also really gonna suck."

Sydney nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure it won't be a picnic."

"We'll have to ask Tom about physical therapists…"

"Yeah, I'm sure he knows the best ones."

"I'm sure he knows the cute ones too…"

Sydney turned and smacked him on the head.

"Ow!" he looked at Sydney.

She didn't say anything else, but he got the message with the look, "I didn't mean it like THAT! You get to ogle over Viggo…I can admire beauty too."

"I will be in attendance for all these sessions…and she better watch her fingers or lose them."

Vaughn chuckled, "Your fingers are the only ones I want in those spots."

"Ok, good, just checking."

The door swung open, hitting the closet door loudly, "Lil help!" Will yelled, half falling into the house. Sydney got up and grabbed a few of the bags he was holding.

She giggled, "Jesus Will."

"Well…Francie's got just as much…We thought we could make it in one trip."

Francie stumbled in the door after him, kicking her foot out to shut the door, "I think we cleaned out the whole store," she grunted.

Will dropped everything he had in the kitchen, literally, "God that was heavy."

"Well, I hope it wasn't fragile or you'll be making another trip," Vaughn observed as he finished the rest of the bagel.

Will looked up at him and pointed, "Hey…you're on a stool."

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah."

"That's great man." He smirked back, "I got ya more ketchup…they had it on sale – you're set for the weekend."

"Great…what else did you get?"

Will looked over the bags as Francie began taking things out and putting them away. He picked up the charcoal and the lighter fluid and started to walk out to the patio, "We got the charcoal and stuff, and brats, hot dogs, hamburger," he trailed off momentarily as he stepped outside and then came back in, resuming his list, "buns, like six different kinds of chips…some juice for the munchkin…beer…" he trailed off again.

"What was that Will?"

"Hmm? Nothing…" he said winking at Vaughn.

Francie smirked, "We also got soda…"

Sydney nodded, "Well that's not much better…"

"It has more sugar," Vaughn offered.

Sydney looked over at him with a disapproving glance.

"Well! Soda or beer – your choice."

Sydney sighed, "Fine, soda then."

"Aw shit," Will said, "I forgot something in the truck," he ran out the door.

Francie chuckled, "Wait till you see this…"


	72. Chapter 267: Caution: Flammable Was thi

**Chapter 267: Caution: Flammable (Was this wise?)**

_"My husband and I have decided to start a family while my parents are still young enough to look after them." – Rita Rudner_

"Ever since we crawled out of that primordial slime, that's been our unifying cry, 'More light.' Sunlight. Torchlight. Candlelight. Neon, incandescent lights that banish the darkness from our caves to illuminate our roads, the insides of our refrigerators. Big floods for the night games at Soldier's field. Little tiny flashlights for those books we read under the covers when we're supposed to be asleep. Light is more than watts and footcandles. Light is metaphor. Light is knowledge, light is life, light is light." – Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

"Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children." – William Makepeace Thackeray

"The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you." – Rita Mae Brown

* * *

Vaughn turned to look at the door again as Will came back in, banging into the top of the doorframe and then the ceiling as he maneuvered an armload of long brown sticks. He was grinning ear to ear, "Lawn Torches," he said with a nod, almost knocking the lamp off the table. "For nighttime."

"Nice touch," Vaughn said nodding approvingly, "Watch the–" he added, before a large crash resounded down the hall, "Never mind."

"I'll get it! No worries! It's fine! Just…the…uhm…well…I think it was a seal or maybe…a fish? Whatever it was, I broke it and I'll clean it up after I take these outside," Will said, smiling as he walked through the living room towards the patio. He fumbled with the door before smacking into the glass on his way out with the torches.

When he returned, he got the broom and swept up the pieces of the broken knick-knack and threw the shards in the garbage. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, "The price you pay to the torch gods."

"Those torches are awesome Will," Vaughn said.

"Yeah," he said sitting down next to Vaughn on a stool, "I thought that way we could stay outside if we wanted to."

"Cool."

"Mike?"

"Yeah," Vaughn said looking at him.

"Dude you know you have sprinkles in your hair?"

Sydney burst out laughing, Vaughn chuckling as well, "We'll get them out in a bit…" He smirked at Will who was shaking his head.

"Uhm…Yeah, I'm pretty sure we got everything," Francie said, after emptying the bags, changing the subject.

"I'm not sure you're allowed to have those torches Will," Sydney said.

"Why not?"

"Because I know it says on there, 'Use only under adult supervision…'"

"Hey now."

Sydney giggled, "Vaughn, we should take a shower, you're mom's gonna be here any minute."

"We'll keep her busy," Will said with a grin.

"Shut up Will."

"Well! We might have to the way you two go at it! I mean Jesus Christ – how many freaking times did you two do it last night. When we were falling asleep you were still at it!"

"Come on Vaughn," Sydney said, sticking her tongue out at Will, "He's just jealous cause he didn't get to come twelve, count them, TWELVE, times."

"No way," Will said as he moved his stool out of the way so Vaughn could get out. He grabbed onto his arm while he turned, making sure he didn't fall and then let go, watching him walk down the hall. "NO WAY!" Will said, watching as Vaughn and Sydney simply ignored his prodding and just kept going.

Francie moved around the counter to watch him too, and Sydney walked far enough behind so she could observe his progress.

"If you guys like my ass that much…you know you can just tell me…" Vaughn said as he turned into the bathroom.

Sydney laughed loudly, "That ass is all mine Vaughn. They can't have it…they can look, but no touching…"

Will and Francie retreated to the living room to wait for Amélie and Will chuckled when he heard, "If they touch it honey…you might have a run for your money," before the bathroom door closed.

"You really think it was 12?" Will asked as they sat down.

Francie shook her head, "Yeah Will…the way they sounded, I'd bet it was…"

Will answered the door, knowing it had to be Amélie who had rung the bell. "Amélie!" he said cheerfully, "Come on in!"

"Hello Will, nice to see you."

"You too," he said shutting the door behind her and taking her bag from her, "Go ahead and sit down, Mike and Syd are just getting out of the shower."

"Thank you," Amélie said, greeting Francie on the couch.

Will walked past the living room on his way back, making a detour for the bathroom, "GUYS!" he yelled, snickering, "MIKE'S MOM IS HERE. BETTER…FINISH UP…IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN."

"SHUT UP WILL!" Sydney yelled back.

He chuckled and came back to the living room, sitting beside Francie, "Sorry Amélie couldn't resist."

"I understand," she said with a nod.

"I'm gonna kill him," Sydney said as they finished drying off.

Vaughn chuckled, "Wait until after the BBQ cause he grills well."

Sydney snorted, "Ok."

"I suppose I better…well you better shave me today," he said thoughtfully, running his hand over the stubble that had filled in on his face and neck since the previous day.

Sydney smiled, "We can do that."

"Mom might not like the low maintenance look you find so sexy…plus with children present."

"Got it," Sydney replied, retrieving the shaving cream and his razor from the drawer it now called home. She draped a towel over his shoulders and started to lather his face as she straddled his lap. She smirked and then dabbed some on his nose as well.

"Just don't shave there…" Vaughn said warily.

She giggled, "No I'll be careful…now shhhh I'm concentrating."

Vaughn tried to hold still, but he found that her concentration was just too amusing and he couldn't stop smiling.

"I'm gonna cut your chin off one of these days," Sydney announced, "And then what would I do? No more chin dimple…stop smiling."

"I can't…"

She smiled back at him and stole a quick kiss.

"See! Now that was your fault."

"Sorry," she said finishing up and rinsing his face before dabbing his cheeks with aftershave.

"Hmm…your favorite…interesting." He said with an amused glint in his eye.

"Hey I did the shaving…I get to pick the fragrance."

"But it's manly…not 'fragrant.'"

"Ok…it's very masculine, my apologies." She returned to him after putting the shaving materials away and looked over the wounds to bandage. "I think we should have Tom look at these…see what he says about bandaging them."

"Ok."

"We'll bandage for now to be safe…"

Vaughn nodded as she started to meticulously cover wounds that they both knew so well. He was pleased that it took less and less time to do so recently. When she finished, she grabbed his hand and they walked back to the bedroom to dress.

"You wanna pick out your own clothes today?" Sydney asked.

"No, I like it when you do."

She grinned and stood for a moment deliberating at the clothing items. She finally decided on light orange, short-sleeve, button-up shirt and a pair of jean shorts. She grabbed jean shorts for herself and a pink tank top with 'Puck This,' written diagonally across it.

Vaughn snorted, "That's great," he said pointing to her shirt.

"Thank you…I managed to smuggle it into the house unbeknownst to you. Thought you might enjoy it."

He looked behind her and around her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for my tee-shirt…ya know…'Stick Professional,' or 'Puck Me,'" he said with a grin.

Sydney giggled, "You're bad."

"You love it."

"I do."

"We better get out there before Will comes back."

"Right," Sydney said, replacing his sling and reaching for his other hand. She helped him up and they walked out slowly, holding hands.


	73. Chapter 268: Sling Fling

**Chapter 268: Sling Fling**

_"Life is like a game of chess, in which there are an infinite number of complex moves possible. The choice is open, but the move contains within itself all future moves. One is free to choose, but what follows is the result of one's choice. From the consequences of one's action there is never any escape." – Shelley Smith_

"I understand the importance of bondage between parent and child." – Dan Quayle

"Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go...And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over." – Gloria Naylor

"Pain adds rest unto pleasure, and teaches the luxury of health." – Martin F. Tupper

* * *

"So when are you going to get really serious Will?" he heard his mother say.

Will stammered, "Uhm…well…I…uh…I really…we haven't really…been…talked or…well…"

Francie was trying desperately not to laugh as she watched Will squirm.

Vaughn was about to say something when his mother caught sight of him, "Michael!" she said, "You're walking!"

He smiled, "Yep."

She walked over to him; Will sighing in relief as she momentarily left him out of the spotlight. Amélie hugged her son lightly, his hand never leaving Sydney's. "You look better Michael."

"Thanks mom. You look great," he said with a smile.

"Oh listen to you. Will and I were just discussing marriage…"

Vaughn smiled at a visibly paler Will, "Were you now?"

"Yes we were. I was just asking him when he was going to settle down with Francie."

"I see," Vaughn said smirking and nodding, "Tom should be here soon," he added, trying to help Will out of his situation.

However, Amélie was not easily dissuaded, "Michael…what are your thoughts on marriage?"

"Well as soon as I can," Vaughn said, Will shaking his head wildly and moving his arms.

"See Will, it's not hard."

Francie had doubled over on the couch, snickering and laughing through Will's plight.

"You're unwavering support is so wonderful honey," he said as there was another knock on the door. Will practically ran past everyone to get there first. He flung open the door, to see Tom and Kaia on the doorstep. He flung himself outside, hugging Tom, "TOM. KAIA. I'm SO glad to see you!" he said.

Tom looked over at Kaia as he patted Will on the back, "It's a…great to see you too Will…why don't we go inside before the neighbors get a show."

Will let him go and stayed close, "Yes, now that you're here we can discuss something other than my 

non-marriage plans," he said to Tom.

Tom nodded, "Oh…I get it."

Amélie walked over, "Hello Tom, so nice to see you and Kaia you're looking beautiful today…oh…and what a lovely engagement ring," she said looking at Will again.

He finally threw his arms in the air, "Oh lord."

Amélie chuckled as Tom came in the house further to greet Vaughn and Sydney. "You're standing," Tom observed.

"Yes, I am," Vaughn said with a smile, "I'm walking too…slow but walking."

"Slow is better than none."

"That's true. Hey Kaia."

"Hello Michael. Hi Sydney."

"Come on in guys, why don't we sit down for a while," she gestured to the living room, keeping Vaughn's hand still tightly locked with her own. She led him to the couch and they sat down, Francie and Will moving to one of the chairs, Will half hiding behind Francie to get out of the marriage-glare of Amélie.

Tom and Kaia took the other chair and Amélie sat down next to Sydney on the couch.

"So you're walking huh Mike?" Tom asked with a huge smile.

Vaughn smiled back and nodded, "Yeah…kinda just started."

"I'm so proud of him," Sydney said impulsively, leaning over to kiss Vaughn on the cheek. "You should have seen him go. I can barely keep up now."

Vaughn chuckled, "Yeah I'm a regular speed demon."

"That's excellent Mike and you'll be getting the sling off too – you're really doing well."

"Thanks."

"You wanna wait until after lunch or you wanna take it off now?" Tom asked.

"Uh now," Vaughn said with a short nod.

Kaia chuckled, "I like a man who can make up his mind."

Tom got up and approached the couch, "You've been keeping it in the sling right?"

"Yes sir, no deviations," Vaughn said, rising a quick glance over to Sydney.

"Ok, we'll just slip it off," Tom said, gently moving the sling over Vaughn's head and carefully taking his arm out of it. "Now…" he said sitting in front of them on the coffee table, "I want you to try and move it…"

Vaughn raised an eyebrow but Tom just nodded with a soft smile on his lips, "Oook…"

"Just try to lift it…"



"Ow."

Tom chuckled, "It's been resting for quite a while…we should talk about what's actually happened with the shoulder too…"

"Ok."

"You can put it down…" Tom added. "Let's talk about what happened originally to the shoulder ok?"

Vaughn nodded, he and Sydney listening intently. The rest of the room followed suit, interested in what Tom had to say.

"Ok first, a dislocation of the shoulder joint means that the bones, the ball and socket, are moved apart so that the joint no longer functions. When the ball is dislocated in front of the socket, it's called an anterior dislocation. When it's behind, it's called a posterior dislocation. I'm guessing from the surgery that the first hospital performed that the original injury was a posterior dislocation."

"It was," Vaughn said quietly.

Tom nodded and then continued, "However, because of…well…things that occurred after the original dislocation, the shoulder actually became doubly dislocated. The posterior dislocation first and then…" he stopped, looking at Amélie for a moment.

Amélie nodded, "It's alright Tom. You can say it."

He smiled again, but it was a sad smile, "Throughout the torture, it sustained an anterior dislocation as well. The addition of hanging from the ceiling, your shoulder still being made to hold the weight of your body, many of the ligaments, tendons, and nerves were stretched and injured. So the shoulder was repeatedly dislocated throughout the whole ordeal."

He took a deep breath and then continued, "So to repair both, they did two procedures. To repair the posterior dislocation, they did a Postero-Inferior Capsular Shift, and to repair the anterior dislocation, they did a Bankart repair. I don't need to go into specifics of what that all entails, but I think they did a great job with it. Most times, people can start doing physical therapy sooner because the extent of their damage was much less. So, you're going to start yours now," Tom said with a grin.

"So what someone's gonna come over now?" Vaughn asked.

"Nope…doesn't work like that. Before you actually go to a physical therapist, you've got to do independent therapy to figure out your limits. And besides that, your situation is not a sports-related injury or anything like that, your shoulder is just one of many areas that need to be worked."

"Great," Vaughn said with a sigh.

"You're walking now Mike, and that's huge…you can't get to physical therapy if you can't walk in the building," he said with a wink, "So, yes, I have some sheets that give you a detailed guide for independent therapy. And they have pictures," he said grinning; Kaia handing him the sheets which he in turn gave to Vaughn.

"As with any other joint, the goal of rehabilitation falls into five phases: controlling inflammation, restoring range of motion, restoring strength, improving function and returning to activity. Now…I think you might have skipped a couple of those steps and jumped right into the last one…" he stopped smirking and suddenly realized that Vaughn's mother was sitting on the same couch as Michael. "Uhm…excuse me…anyway…"

Sydney and Vaughn started cracking up, "It's ok Tom; I think she might know."  


Amélie smiled amusedly from her seat on the couch, "That doesn't mean I want details…"

Tom chuckled, "Right…So once your ready to go to the sessions, you'll know how far you can go so you don't attempt something that will wind up injuring you further. And you'll most likely be doing working more than one part…You've had a bunch of stuff set you back, but look now – you're doing really great Mike."

"Thanks," Vaughn said sincerely.

"So, you'll work at home and just do whatever feels comfortable. You can push yourself, but be careful that you don't do more than you should cause it'll only wind up putting you farther back. Even things like the stress balls – those will help with tightening the muscles in your shoulder and will get you on the right track. So you don't have to do all of these exercises by any means, just do what you can and do what feels ok."

"You can also use massage or ice or heat after you've done your home therapy. That's how the real sessions always end and it helps to relax the muscles that you've worked."

"Cool," Vaughn replied looking at Sydney.

"I get to participate as well," Sydney said with a grin.

"Yeah you might want to get some massage oil," Kaia offered.

Sydney smirked at her; "We have some…"

"They don't call it physical therapy for nothing," Tom added.

Vaughn laughed, "My mom's gonna head for the door pretty soon…"

"Well! It's true!" Tom said getting up, "And I'm sure Sydney would be more than happy to help you out in that area."

Will finally spoke up, "At least all this talk about their sex life takes the spotlight off of me and my non-marriage proposal."

Amélie looked over at him, "Oh don't worry dear, we'll revisit that subject later."

"Shoulda kept my mouth shut," Will said under his breath.


	74. Chapter 269: Commitment Phobia?

**Chapter 269: Commitment Phobia? **

_"Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes." – Kenneth Hildebrand_

"A friend told me that each morning when we get up we have to decide whether we are going to save or savor the world. I don't think that is the decision. It's not an either or, save or savor. We have to do both, save and savor the world." – Kate Clinton

"Passion is the quickest to develop, and the quickest to fade. Intimacy develops more slowly, and commitment more gradually still." – Robert Sternberg

"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh!' he whispered. 'Yes, Piglet?' 'Nothing,' said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw. 'I just wanted to be sure of you.'" – A.A. Milne

* * *

"Who's hungry?" Francie asked, saving Will from further scrutiny.

"I'm starved," Will said, pushing Francie off his lap and pulling her with him into the kitchen, "I'll help you, let's go."

Francie giggled as she was dragged along, "You're kinda cute when you squirm," she said.

"I'm glad you enjoy it…just don't leave me alone with Amélie. She's on a mission…"

Francie nodded, "Got it. Let's make sandwiches, those will be fast."

"And easy," Will added, grinning.

"Kinda like you?"

"HEY…I don't need you to start!"

Francie giggled and pulled him closer, kissing him longingly before turning away to get the sandwiches started.

"You could kill a man doing that…" he offered as he watched her take out the items from the refrigerator.

"No, not kill…maim perhaps, but not kill…"

"Everyone is out to get me," Will said shaking his head.

Francie chuckled as she started to make the sandwiches.

"Oh God…" Will said suddenly, grabbing onto the counter.

"What?" Francie asked, turning in concern.

"I can't…feel…my arm…help…please," he said desperately, "I…think I…need another…kiss…"

Francie stopped her concern and kissed him gently, pulling him up, "Don't scare me like that."

"Well I figured I'd save you the maiming process…just go for the kill."

"It worked…both Sydney and me…we're suckers for an injured man."

"Oh…did I mention I have a headache…and I think I stubbed my toe earlier this morning…I mean I'm no 

Mike…but I'm injured…and inside…Fran…inside…very hurt…"

Francie handed him the jar of mayonnaise, "Put some on the bread."

"Well there's a way to kill the mood."

"You guys wanna eat outside?" Francie asked from the kitchen.

"Sure!" Vaughn answered, smiling at Sydney, "And I'm answering for everyone."

Tom offered Vaughn a hand and he accepted it, "I'm really very proud of you Mike…really."

"Thanks Tom."

"You walk outside by yourself?" Tom asked, not letting go of him just yet.

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah, although today I'm relatively happy to walk with Sydney holding my hand."

"A great plan at that," Tom said letting go and grabbing Kaia's hand, "I like to do that too."

Amélie smiled, "See…now why can't Will just commit like this?" She walked over to the kitchen as everyone else started to walk outside chuckling.

"Ya know Mike, I don't want to be a buzzkill…" Tom said once they were seated outside.

"What?" Vaughn asked.

"Well, I'm just thinking…"

"About?"

"Your back."

"What about it?"

Tom thought a minute, "I just think it's about time we had a little conversation about that too…"

"Ok."

"Tom, what's going on?" Sydney asked, starting to get concerned.

"No, it's not bad…I just…want to be realistic. We're talking about physical therapy and everything, so it's natural we need to talk about your back. You've sustained extremely severe wounds, some of which are not even remotely in an advanced healing stage. I mean, I haven't looked at them in a while, and I can tell by the way you're walking – while it's better, your back is going to become a problem soon. Once they really start to scab and the skin starts to fuse together in the spots where the wounds were gaping, it's not going to be pleasant. It's probably going to hurt more now then it did in the beginning, and it will start to itch as well. And these are itches that can't be scratched because the scabs will tear. Besides that, the burns are going to start to really heal now as well and when burns heal, it means the return of nerves that were damaged. Both the burns and the wounds created massive nerve damage and when they start to return in full force, your back is going to be one large area of hell. Nerves have a high capacity for regeneration but on a few of the significantly larger wounds, the surgeons did do some nerve repair. I just want to prepare you and warn you…because I don't think the pain phase is necessarily over…"



"Wow…can't wait," Vaughn said unenthusiastically.

Tom smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry to rain on your sling parade today Mike."

"No, it's ok I'd rather know."

He looked at Sydney and she smiled gently, reaching out and touching his cheek, "We'll handle it…just like everything else. We always get through."

Vaughn nodded and took her hand, kissing the back of it.

She looked at the two doctors, "Is there something we can do for it though? Other than the pain meds? I know Vaughn and I were talking about the itching a few days ago – I thought that maybe adding another bath or shower might help. Might keep the scabs from getting too hard."

Kaia smiled, "You know that's not a bad idea. It will definitely keep them from getting too thick and immobile. They might be more flexible that way; the muscles in your back might not become as stubborn to motion. Plus, comfort wise, the water will soothe the pain."

Tom nodded, "Kaia's right. I think it would be a great idea to add another or even a few. Really, I mean don't spend all day in the water, but adding a few more or whenever there's discomfort would probably go a long way. And eventually, the scabs will come off easier then – or they could come off in the water."

Sydney smiled, "See, we'll take care of it."

Vaughn smiled back at her, nodding in response.

When Will and Francie emerged from the house with Amélie he was sighing at her new wave of marriage-speak.

"You're just such a lovely couple, I don't understand why you wouldn't."

Will finally turned, "Because I'm not ready yet and I don't think Francie is either and I'm not gonna ask until I'm ready and that's the end of it!"

Amélie smirked, "Excellent. That's all I wanted to know."

Vaughn chuckled, "Mom you're bad."

"Well Michael you had to get it from somewhere."

Will sat down, Francie joining him, "THAT was all she wanted me to say?" He asked shaking his head, "Man, I could have said that HOURS ago."

"So how does it feel to have the sling off?" Kaia asked Vaughn.

"It's kinda strange to tell you the truth," Vaughn started, "I've had it on so long, you get used to it. It's sore…but I'm looking forward to ya know, using it again."

"Yeah, you probably want to let it rest though today and tomorrow before you really start doing anything extensive. Just let it get used to being out of the sling – new positions again. Or just something like the stress balls," Kaia offered.

"Good advice doctor," Tom said grinning, before he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.  


"Aww…" Sydney said snuggling closer to Vaughn, "So much love in this backyard…If anyone here should object to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"That is not being said at our wedding," Kaia said suddenly.

Sydney chuckled, "No? Why not."

"Cause that little bitch Brianna probably would find a way to get there and object."

"Ut oh…" Vaughn started, "Trouble with 'She-who-must-not-be-named-cept-Kaia-just-did?'"

Kaia let loose a string of Italian that even Vaughn and Sydney, who knew the language had a hard time keeping up with. However, the intent of the words was very clear, and Kaia was very unhappy with the situation. Sydney and Vaughn laughed a few times when they caught some expletives mixed in with her idea of Brianna's character, leaving everyone else wondering just exactly what was being said.

When she stopped, she let out a deep breath and a loud and exasperated sigh, "There…I feel much better…and I'm so glad you asked so I could tell someone."

Sydney smirked, "No problem."

"I never liked her," Vaughn offered, "Just to tell ya…but I like you very much."

Kaia grinned, "Thank you. I never liked her either."

"No I wouldn't imagine so," Vaughn replied.

"She's kinda turned into a stalker…" Tom said.

"Really?"

"Yeah…like…I don't know what the hell her problem is. She dumped me…now it's like cause I'm engaged or something I suddenly have–"

"Did I mention I don't like her?" Kaia interrupted, "I always get what I want…so she better back off. I'm Italian…I know people."

Vaughn snorted, "I'm sure we could help arrange things as well…"

Kaia looked over, "That's right! You can have the government kill her! I'll come up with something – like she's a covert spy for the Cubans or something…"

Tom stood up, "Well…lunch was great but I think I better get her out of here before she's on the FBI's most wanted list."

Kaia looked up at him, "Right we're going home and you're gonna prove to me once more just how much you love me and why I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."

"Exactly." Tom said nodding and grabbing her hand, pulling her up, "Mike, Syd, you need anything you just call. Questions whatever, we'll see ya tomorrow. Francie, Will, Amélie, pleasure, see ya."

"Bye!" Kaia called as Tom lead her back to the house and out the door.


	75. Chapter 270: The Great Brownie Debate

**Chapter 270: The Great Brownie Debate**

_"I wonder if the Betty Ford clinic handles brownie dependency…" – Tony – Who's the Boss?_

"Childhood smells of perfume and brownies." – David Leavitt

"It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself." – Joyce Maynard

"Canadians Scott Abbott and Chris Haney invented Trivial Pursuit. They were planning on playing Scrabble and realized that some of the pieces were missing so they came up with the idea of making their own game; Trivial Pursuit." – Amusing Facts

* * *

Everyone chuckled as the couple left, Amélie saying, "They are a wonderful couple aren't they?"

"Yes they are," everyone agreed.

Francie stood up and began to pile the dishes to take in the house, Will getting up to help; Amélie coming to their aid as well.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow?" Amélie asked as they walked in, Sydney and Vaughn walking slowly behind them.

"Pretty much," Francie replied, "Will and I went to the store earlier and got everything. I still have to make the hamburger into patties…and I think we got some brownie mix, so we have to make those…but otherwise everything else is pre-made."

"Brownies did you say?"

"Yes," Francie said with a smile.

"Did you need help with anything? I could help with the brownies while you made the patties…"

"That would be great Amélie."

Sydney and Vaughn took up residence at the counter as Will began loading the dishes in the dishwasher, Francie started making the hamburger patties and Amélie started to make the brownies.

"Do you have frosting?" She asked as she put the pan in the oven.

"For what?" Sydney asked.

"For the brownies of course…" Amélie replied.

"Ut oh…" Vaughn said, looking at his mother and then Sydney.

"What?" Amélie asked.

"We don't put frosting on brownies…too much chocolate…a nice sprinkling of powdered sugar on top is good."

"No frosting on brownies?" Amélie asked astonished.

"Nope. Too rich."

"You're kidding right?"

"No," Sydney replied.

"Michael," Amélie started, "I'm not sure I can let you marry a woman who does not put frosting on brownies."

Vaughn chuckled, "I'm not going to get into this."

Amélie turned to Francie and Will, "What do you think?"

Francie started to say, "Well I guess I–" when Will slapped a hand over her mouth.

"For the love of GOD woman don't say anything! Don't pull us in! We don't want to be in the middle."

Francie smiled and stopped, "Good point." Then she took Will's hand and they walked to the living room.

"Can I go with them?" Vaughn asked.

"No." Both women said.

Vaughn put his head down, "Ok."

"Now, really Sydney…a brownie is not a brownie without frosting. Do you not like chocolate?"

"I love chocolate, but that's not the issue. They're bad enough for you without that goop you call frosting – it's like diabetes in solid form."

"Oh please…people have been eating brownies with frosting forever and have been fine."

"Yeah and they died of holes."

Amélie laughed loudly, "Ok…we'll do it your way. No frosting, just powered sugar."

Sydney smiled in triumph.

"But…like I said…I now have one reservation that may have to be resolved before you marry my son."

"Mom, if that's her only flaw, I think I'm safe."

Amélie sighed; "Well I dunno…brownies are very important…" she winked at Vaughn.

"Syd…you know…if she does make the frosting – there's usually extra…" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"No frosting on the brownies. If you want that kind of fun, I'll buy it for that specific purpose."

"Sorry mom," Vaughn said shaking his head.

"Well Michael, now my decision is definitely made after hearing you say that…since I now have images…we're definitely doing it Sydney's way."

Vaughn chuckled, "Sorry mom."

Sydney and Vaughn and Amélie retreated to the living room after cleaning up the brownie makings.

"The brownies won't be done for about another half hour," Amélie said.

"Can we have some then?" Vaughn asked.

"No Michael, they're for tomorrow," Amélie informed him.

He immediately changed tactics, "But…if you put them on a plate then we could have a few before tomorrow…"

Amélie chuckled, "Oh my Lord Michael, you just looked about 12. We'll see…"

Vaughn smiled, "Heh…glad to see it still works," he said quietly, obviously very proud of himself. He looked over at Will and winked, Will giving him a thumbs up in return.

"So what are we gonna do for the rest of today?" Francie asked.

"Well, we could grind our enemies into talcum powder with a sledgehammer, but, gosh, we did that last night. Hey, I got a plan: how 'bout miniature golf?" Will said with a grin.

Everyone looked at him strangely.

"Sorry…Buffy line…" He cleared his throat.

Francie shook her head, "Well so _that's_ out. What else?"

"You guys CAN go miniature golfing if you want ya know," Vaughn said.

Will looked over at him, "Nah man, I was just doing the line…"

"Really though – if you guys want to go somewhere go."

"No," Will said simply.

Vaughn chuckled, "K."

"We could play a game…" Francie suggested.

"Oh lord, what kind of game, cause the last one we played with a parent was just…strange."

Amélie laughed, "You're cute Michael."

"Thanks," he said, "Really though…"

Francie giggled, "We could play a regular game, like a board game."

"Oh that would be fun," Amélie said, "I haven't played a board game for such a long time."

"Ok," Will said getting up, "What game? We've got a lot of them…I have the Buffy game…"

"Dude, is there anything Buffy you don't have?" Vaughn asked.

"Not much, no. Was that a general 'no' to the Buffy game…it's fun."

"No Will," Francie said shaking her head, "No Buffy games."

"Damn." He nodded and walked off to look at the games. He returned talking halfway from the hall, "Ok, well since Amélie doesn't know what we have…it depends what kind of game you want. We have like the standards, Monopoly, Life, and my favorite Clue. Or we have of course, Trivial Pursuit if you were in the market for one of those thinking games."

Amélie smirked, "Clue is not a thinking game Will?"

He smiled realizing, "Heeeeey it IS!"

"Just remember Vaughn beat you last time," Sydney pointed out.

"Well, that was just luck."

"Right," she said, "I seem to also remember me winning at Trivial Pursuit."

"We'll let Amélie pick," Will decided.

Vaughn smirked, "I can tell you what she's gonna pick."

"And what would that be Michael."

"You're going to pick Trivial Pursuit and then if we have time Life, because you like to be challenged and you like to win millions."

Amélie chuckled, "Recited just as though I'd said it yesterday."

Vaughn nodded, "Well you said it enough, so it sticks with you."

"Ok," Will sighed, "I'll get Trivial Pursuit."


	76. Chapter 271: Who’s Got Game?

**Chapter 271: Who's Got Game?**

_"If I had my child to raise all over again,  
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.  
I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.  
I would do less correcting and more connecting.  
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.  
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.  
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.  
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.  
I'd do more hugging and less tugging." – Diane Loomans_

"No painter's brush, nor poet's pen  
In justice to her fame  
Has ever reached half high enough  
To write a mother's name." – Author Unknown

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." – Vince Lombardi

* * *

He came back with the box and set it up on the coffee table. "Ok ready."

Everyone rolled the die and the Francie got the highest number, rolling first. The order following in clockwise motion: Will, Sydney, Vaughn, Amélie.

Francie rolled and landed on an Entertainment space. Will read the card, "'What's tattooed on Popeye's arm?' Oh come on."

"An anchor," she said smiling.

Will nodded and handed her a pink wedge.

She rolled again and landed on a Science space. "'What is the Chinese book of changes called?'"

Francie thought a moment before giving up, "No clue."

"_The I Ching_," Vaughn said.

Will nodded, "Yup."

"How did you know that?" Sydney asked.

Vaughn smiled, "Philosophy class."

"My turn!" Will said happily, rolling and landing on a Sports and Leisure space. "HA!" he said happily, "bring it on!"

Sydney grabbed the card, "'What year was the first Super Bowl played?'"

Will smiled, "1967."

"Yep, score one for the Tippin Team."

"Yes, thank you, I'll take that orange wedge now. And I'll just roll again," He said happily.

He rolled again and landed on a Entertainment space, "'Who played Ugarte in Casablanca?'"

"That would be Peter Lorre," Will said smiling.

"That's very impressive Will," Amélie commented, "I'm surprised you know that one."

"Well I've got a soft spot for classics. Oh look at that, my turn again…" Will rolled again and landed on a History space.

Sydney read the card, "'What is Gerald Ford's middle name?'"

Will thought a minute, "Uhm…James?"

Amélie snorted, "Well you have a soft spot for classics but you do not have the same soft spot for presidents. That would be Rudolph…and I'm sure none of you knew that one."

They all shook their heads.

Sydney picked up the die, "My turn." She rolled and landed on a Science space. Amélie handed Vaughn the card and he read, "What do goldfish lose if kept in dimly-lit or running water?"

"Uhm…color?"

"Is that a question?" Vaughn asked chuckling.

"No that's my guess…"

"Well you're a good guesser. Your turn again."

"YES!" Sydney said, rolling again. She landed on an Art and Literature space.

"You better get this one," Vaughn commented, reading, "'What were the cities in Dicken's _A Tale of Two Cities_?'"

"Paris and London."

"Right again."

Sydney giggled happily and rolled again landing on another Science space.

Vaughn read, "'What did Gail Borden give to the world in 1853?'"

"Uh…color?" Sydney said smiling, "I have no clue."

"Condensed milk."

"Ew."

"Yeah."

"K, Vaughn your turn," Sydney said.

"You roll."

Sydney rolled for him and he landed on an Arts and Literature space.

Amélie grabbed the card, "'Who wrote _The Maltese Falcon_?'"

"Dashiell Hammett."

"Correct Michael."

Sydney rolled again and he landed on an Entertainment space.

"'Who was the host of,'" Amélie stopped, "Oh Michael this is too easy. 'Who was the host of _Let's Make a Deal_?'"

Vaughn laughed, "Monty Hall."

"Why is that too easy?" Francie asked.

"Mom had a lil thing for Monty back in the day…along with General Hospital I was subjected to hours of Mr. Hall and his deals."

"I did not have a thing for Monty Hall." She said, getting up, "I have to get the brownies out."

"Could have fooled me." He smirked, "Oh Michael, Monty's on!" he said imitating his mother's voice.

She smiled bashfully and shouted from the kitchen, "Well…in that time…Monty was quite a fox."

"Right…"

"He was!"

"Syd can you roll again please."

Sydney rolled again and he landed on a Sports and Leisure question.

"'How many gold medals did Mark Spitz win at the 1972 Munich Olympics?'"

"Uhm…Three I have no idea."

"Seven."

"Really? Wow. Your turn mom." He said as she came back from taking the brownies out of the oven.

Amélie rolled and landed on a Sports and Leisure space.

Francie read, "'What would you be examining if you used a _tastevin_?'"

Vaughn started to laugh.

"What?" Sydney asked.

Amélie grinned, "You'd be examining wine."

Will piped up, "Ok, the non-Europeans should have a handicap I think in this game…cause how the hell would I know that?"

"Well I wouldn't know the sports questions Will. You have different advantages."

"Yeah, yeah, I still want a handicap of like two wedges."

Amélie smiled and rolled again, landing on an Art and Literature space.

"'What was Rembrandt's last name?"

"van Rijn."

"Yep," Francie replied.

"Handicap!"

Vaughn chuckled, "She usually wins."

Amélie happily rolled and landed on a Geography space, "Oh not my strong suit."

"'What is Abyssinia now called?'"

"No idea."

"Ethiopia," Francie read, taking the die herself and rolling again. She landed on an Entertainment space.

Will read, "'Where did Betty meet the leader of the pack?'"

Francie started singing, "I met him at the candy store!"

"Ok," Will said holding up his hand, "Stop."

Francie stopped, smiling, "I'll take a green wedge instead cause I already have a pink one."

She rolled again and landed on a Sports and Leisure space.

"'How many seconds must a cowboy stay aboard a rodeo bronco?"

Francie smiled, "Oh thank you Luke Perry. That would be eight seconds."

"Shit," Will said, "Forget the European handicap, just give me one."

Francie laughed and rolled again, landing on a History space.

"'What rifle accessory originated in Bayonne, France, in 1641?'"

"No clue."

"Ouch," Vaughn said.

Sydney looked over at him, "What's wrong?"

"The European in me just experienced a pain."

Sydney laughed.

"What?" Francie asked, "I don't know weapons like all you spy people."

"Bayonne, France?" Vaughn asked, "Like as in the bayonet?"

"Ooooh…" Francie said nodding, "Yeah that makes sense."

Will rolled and landed on a Geography space, "Oh man."

Sydney read, "'What country is home to _Heineken_ beer?'"

"Oh FINALLY a geography question worthy of the Tippin name. That would be the Netherlands, thank you very much."

"You're right Will."

Will rubbed his hands together greedily and rolled again, landing on an Entertainment space.

"'What were the names of Red Skelton's two sea gull friends?'" Sydney read giggling.

"Shit, I don't know."

"Gertrude and Heathcliffe," Amélie said before Sydney could read it. She shook her head, "You kids…"

Sydney rolled and landed on another Science space.

Vaughn read, "'What do you gain by crossing the international date line to the east."

"Well if I don't know this one, I'd be really, really dumb with all the travel I do. That would be one day, Mr. Vaughn."

"That's correct soon-to-be-Mrs. Vaughn."

"And I'll take an orange wedge since I already have green." She rolled again, landing on a Geography space.

"'What country did Venetian blinds originate in?'"

"Uhm…Italy?"

"Nope, Japan."

"Really?"

"Yep," Vaughn said, handing her the card.

"Huh. Ok your turn."

She rolled the die for him and he landed on a History space.

Amélie smiled, "Ut oh…this is Michael's secret stash of knowledge."

Vaughn smirked back, waiting until she read, "'What attack did Isoroku Yamamoto plan and lead?"

"Pearl Harbor."

"See," Amélie said discarding the card, "Told ya."

Sydney rolled for him again and he landed on an Arts and Literature space.

"'What figure of Greek mythology gave fire to man?'"

"Prometheus. And I'll take green instead."

Amélie smirked at his casual way of answering, the knowledge seemingly stored away for use whenever he needed it. "He's always been like this."

"What?" he asked.

She smiled and looked at Sydney. "You think you've seen it all and then he just spouts something you didn't know he knew. He's an endless learning experience my son."

"Mom…please stop."

Amélie chuckled, "Never could take compliments either."

Sydney rolled for him and he landed on a Sports and Leisure space.

"'Who was _The Galloping Ghost_?'"

"Uhm…no clue."

"Red Grange."

"Oook. Mom your turn."

Amélie rolled and landed on an Art and Literature space.

Francie read, "'What did Sherlock Holmes keep in a toe of a Persian slipper?'"

"Pipe tobacco."

"She's right," Francie said.

"I'll take green instead." She rolled again and landed on an Entertainment space.

"'What actor is Mary Martin's son?'"

"Larry Hagman."

"Damnit…she's right again," Francie said.

Amélie smiled and rolled again, landing on another Entertainment space.

"What's the name of Luke Skywalker's troll-like advisor in _The Empire Strikes Back_?'"

Will snorted, "Troll-like? And that is SO easy."

"Well…I believe that would be Yoda…"

"Yup."

"I'll take blue instead."

She rolled again landing on the middle space. "I believe I will try my luck at that last wedge and go with History."

Francie read the question, "'Who was the first Roman Catholic U.S. President?'"

Amélie smiled, "Why John F. Kennedy of course."

"Shit," Will said throwing his hands up, "she won."

Amélie chuckled, "I take it you don't take losing well?"

"Well, I lose so much I should be used to it."

Francie kissed his cheek, "Oh honey you win at a lot of things. You won me – that counts for something very large."

Will beamed, "Yeah! Right! Ok more games?"

"Uhm no," Sydney said, settling back on the couch with Vaughn. "Why don't you play Xbox or something."

Will looked at Vaughn, "You wanna play?"

"Sure, we can play for a while."

"Ok," Will got up and went over to start the console. "What do you wanna play?"

"Whatever, doesn't matter."

"Wanna try _Lord of the Rings_?"

"Sure."

"K," He started the game and handed Vaughn the controller, sitting down himself in front of the couch.

"Amélie," Sydney started, "This is an Xbox…an evil devil box of temptation that sucks in men and makes them boys."

"And sometimes girls too…" Vaughn added.

"Yeah, but we're not telling your mother about that."

"Ok."

"So anyway, this is the Lord of the Rings game."

"Like the books and the movies?"

"Yes, this is the game version. And I'd like to introduce you to the beauty that is Viggo Mortensen. He plays the King – Aragorn, and this digitized version does not do him justice, but fortunately there are a few movie clips – he's the hot one with the dark brown hair and blue eyes…" she sighed.

"I see," Amélie said chuckling. "And Michael, what do you think of this situation?"

"If I speak about it, I get in trouble, so we've agreed that she gets Viggo and I get the fighting, battles, blood, Liv Tyler and the half–," he stopped looking at Sydney, "the elf in the woods."


	77. Chapter 272: There’s A Boob On the Phone

**Chapter 272: There's A Boob On the Phone**

_"When I'm at a Chinese restaurant having a hard time with chopsticks, I always hope that there's a Chinese kid at an American restaurant somewhere who's struggling mightily with a fork." – Rick Budinich._

"Shrimp with assroted vegetables." – Typo on a Chinese restaurant menu

"Can it be a mistake that STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards?" – Unknown

"The devil came to me last night and asked what I wanted in exchange for my soul. I still can't believe I said pizza. Friggin' cravings." – Marc Ostroff

"Green clovers. Blue diamonds. Orange Stars. Pink hearts. Purple horseshoes. Man, I never know if I looking at a bowl of cereal or having another acid flashback." – Dave Henry

"Never argue with a fool. Someone watching may not be able to tell the difference." – Unknown

* * *

"Ok Will…I think we're done," Vaughn finally said an hour and a half later.

"Michael…these game systems have vastly improved since your Atari."

Vaughn smirked, "Yeah, much more high tech…"

"Aww…Pac Man and Space Invaders…Pong…old Donkey Kong…" Will said wistfully, "A childhood well spent in an arcade."

Amélie smiled and then said, "I saw no female elves Michael…"

Vaughn laughed, "Well they're in the movie…"

"And Sydney, you're right, that Viggo is quite handsome…"

"Oh God, please Mom don't encourage her."

"Well…I'm just stating facts Michael…he looks so familiar…I know I've seen him before…"

"He's been in quite a few movies…uhm…" Sydney thought a minute, "Let's see…GI Jane, The Prophecy, A Walk on the Moon, 28 Days…A Perfect Murder…"

"Was that with Michael Douglas?"

"Oh Lord," Vaughn said, shaking his head.

"Oh hush now Michael. I love Michael Douglas…he's so handsome…"

Sydney smiled, "Yes he was Gweneth Paltrow's lover…"

"Right…oh the painter…he was so lovely in that movie…"

Vaughn sighed loudly, Will smiling at him, "My mom does that too."

"Yeah…so…can we eat now? Dinner time?" Vaughn said, "Please? So we can move off the Viggo topic?"

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah we can have dinner."

"What are we gonna have?" Will asked.

"Something that requires little preparation," Francie said, "Oh…that was out loud."

Will smiled, "Sounds like we're ordering in…"

"What are ordering?" Sydney asked.

"Chinese?" Will asked.

"Sounds good," Francie said, looking to everyone else.

"Works," Vaughn said nodding, Sydney and Amélie agreeing.

"Ok then, I'll order," Will said getting up. He grabbed the phone book and dialed the number for 'Bing Ming Chinese.'

Conversation continued around him until Will's voice started to get louder, "No…NO! What did you say your name was?" He chuckled, "Did you say Boob?"

Everyone watched as Will tried not to laugh, "Ok…ok…Boob…listen…I would like dinner for five and I would like it delivered…" He paused, "Yeah and extra eggrolls…"

"No…" Will said shaking his head, "NO! I said DINNER FOR FIVE not fish still alive!" There was another pause, "Yes…yes…NO! Boob…BOOB! Listen to me…I said EXTRA EGGROLLS not squid toes…EGG like from chickens…No. NO! Not chicken feet either! Boob! Ok…E-X-T-R-A as in additional…more eggrolls…"

Francie was near tears as she watched Will start to pace, everyone else giggling and trying to hold in the chuckles. Will turned and glared at them as he listened, "No…who's that yelling in the background? Your life? Oh…your WIFE…right…yes that's very nice Boob…but can we get back to my order here? No…not quarter pound…" Will made a grimace, "You'd actually bring me a raw chicken with the feet? No, never mind I don't want that…BOOB…ok…Additional eggrolls, have you got that?"

Will waited a moment and sighed, "No…not octopus tail…DUDE…oh my God…"

He looked helplessly at the group, "We should have ordered Mexican…"

Sydney chuckled and motioned for the phone, starting to talk rapidly in Chinese. Will sat down again and waited. "I swear he said his name was Boob."

Sydney hung up and looked at Will.

"What you're done already?"

"Yes Will…that was Mr. BOB Wong…who doesn't speak English very well. His son usually takes the orders and that's who his wife was yelling for."

He shook his head, "BOB WONG?"

"His parents moved here. American first names."

"You learned all that in like what a minute?"

"Yes."

"Huh…see if we would have ordered Mexican, I could have spoken the native language to the order taker…"

Sydney rolled her eyes, "Right Will."

"I could!"

"It'll be here in about 45 minutes."

42 minutes later, Will was running next door to get their food after he saw 'Boob' going to the wrong house.

49 minutes later, they had all sat down to eat in the living room, each giggling and commenting on how funny it was when the little Chinese man thought Will was a mugger and attempted to hit him with the bag of eggrolls.

It was then Vaughn's turn as Amélie started to giggle.

"What?" Sydney asked.

"I was just thinking about the first time Michael had Chinese food."

"Oh Lord…please Mom…come on…"

Will looked very smug, "HA! See not so funny now!"

"I wasn't making fun of you!"

"You were too – pointing and laughing – don't think I didn't see it!"

Amélie chuckled, "Bill and I weren't big on Chinese really…usually young children don't like anything that doesn't take less than a minute to make and McDonald's was like heaven for a four year old…anyway, we decided one night to order Chinese. And we debated over what we thought Michael would eat…and we decided that perhaps something like a chicken ball would be something somewhat familiar."

Vaughn sighed and took another bite, Sydney eagerly listening to the story.

"Well the food arrived and we got everything out and explained it was a different kind of chicken…Michael sort of wrinkled his nose but he was willing to try it…Bill was using chopsticks with his meal and Michael of course wanted to be like his father, so he asked me for some big toothpicks."

"Awww," Sydney said looking at Vaughn, "You were so cute!"

"Thanks…" he said nodding.

"And so he watched Bill for a few minutes, trying to figure out how to use them…" she stopped to giggle, "So once he thought he had it, he uses one in each hand and like spears it…and picks up the whole chicken ball…" She stopped again, laughing, "Bill and I thought it was so funny, but Michael wasn't too amused with our laughing so Bill tried to show him how to use them and we cut it up…well…inadvertently, little Michael got quite frustrated and he somehow managed to fling part of the chicken ball all the way across the room into the fish tank. Now…by this time, Bill and I couldn't stop laughing and Michael was furious. He swore he'd never eat with the big toothpicks again and ate the rest of his meal with his fork…"

Everyone was giggling and Sydney kissed Vaughn on the cheek. He turned to his mother, "Thanks mom…really. And for the record, no fish were harmed in the incident…"

"Oh I'm not done yet. I haven't told them about the next time…"

"Crap."

"The next time we ordered, Michael was smart enough to not have a repeat of what we called 'The Great Chicken Ball Caper,' and he went right for the fork. Except, this time, he mistook the hot sauce for ketchup and nearly wound up in the emergency room. I don't think we ordered Chinese for quite some time after that…"

Will and Francie were giggling and Sydney couldn't help but do so as well, "I'm sorry honey."

"That's ok….laugh it up. Hey Will – when are your parents available for dinner?"

"Uhm…" Will said looking scared, "They're out of town?" he said in question form.

"Right, get me the phone book, I'm calling them right now."

"No dude…I'm sorry…"

Vaughn nodded, "Just remember – I can call them at any time."

"Fond memories…"

"Yes, I'm glad you enjoy the very embarrassing stories," Vaughn said looking at his mother.

Sydney smiled, "Aww but honey you're so adorable. The stories just make me love you even more"

"Yeah yeah. Thanks."

Amélie smiled, "You were a wonderful little boy."

Vaughn smiled.

"EW." Will said, picking something out of his dinner, "Cabbage…don't like cabbage."

Vaughn's gaze flew back to his mother who was smirking, "NO." he said, "NOT that story."  
Amélie's smirk widened to a smile, "Oh now I have to."

"Yes, she has to," Sydney said.

"Absolutely," Francie agreed nodding.

"Help," Vaughn said to no one in particular.


	78. Chapter 273: Fortunes Told…in bed

**Chapter 273: Fortunes Told…in bed**

_"I will be the answer  
At the end of the line  
I will be there for you  
Why take the time  
In the burning of uncertainty  
I will be your solid ground  
I will hold the balance  
If you can't look down_

If it takes my whole life  
I won't break, I won't bend  
It will all be worth it  
Worth it in the end  
Because I can only tell you that I know  
That I need you in my life  
When the stars have all gone out  
You'll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently  
Into morning  
For the night has been unkind  
Take me to a  
Place so holy  
That I can wash this from my mind  
And break choosing not to fight

If it takes my whole life  
I won't break, I won't bend  
It will all be worth it  
Worth it in the end  
Because I can only tell you that I know  
That I need you in my life  
When the stars have all gone out  
You'll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently  
Into morning  
For the night has been unkind" – "Answer" – Sarah McLachlan

"Sometimes your nearness takes my breath away and all the things I want to say can find no voice. Then in silence, I can only hope, my eyes will speak my heart." – Unknown

* * *

Amélie started, "Oh Michael was about…five or six at the time, and one of my friends had a baby. So on the way back home he asked me the question all parents fear: 'Where do babies come from?'"

Will chuckled until Vaughn sent him a glance and then he tried to hide it.

"So, of course, I told him the truth…that babies come from the cabbage patch. Now, he looked at me very strangely, but he didn't ask anything else. I was going to elaborate but since he didn't ask anything else, I decided just to let it go. Until he started digging in my garden…"

Sydney burst out laughing.

"Well, I tell you – I wasn't laughing then. He made a whole mess of my garden. And when I asked him about it, he was so very sincere and he was terribly worried because babies shouldn't be in the ground."

"Awwww," Francie said this time.

"Yes, so of course, I couldn't punish him then and I told him a more truthful version…but yes, he was very concerned with all those little defenseless children buried in my garden."

"For the record," Vaughn said, "I will never be traumatizing our children like that," he looked at Sydney until his mother spoke.

"And when will these children be arriving? Should I go out to the garden?"

"Uhm…I…uh…Syd?" he asked looking back at her.

Sydney smiled, "We'll let you know."

Vaughn sighed, "Good answer."

Amélie looked at Will, "And you?"

He coughed, "I already answered the other question today! I'm not getting into kids too!"

"Very well…"

Francie piped up, "I'm not sure the world is ready for another Will…"

"Even though I'm not sure the context she is referring to, I'm going to agree," Will said.

"Well why mess with perfection?" Francie added.

"Aww thanks," Will smiled, leaning over to kiss her. "Hey did we get fortune cookies?"

Francie laughed, "Well…so much for our mood."

"Well! It's fortune cookies," he looked all over the table, "Did Boob forget them?"

Sydney clicked her tongue, "BOB."

"Right whatever… he did…I bet he did! Damnit Boob!"

Amélie handed him the bag, "They're in there."

"Oh thank God…can't have a Chinese meal without the fortune cookies."

He handed the bag around and everyone took one, breaking it apart and first silently reading the fortune the little cookie contained as they ate it.

Will sighed, "OH man…"

"What?" Vaughn asked.

Will shook his head and read, "Be more serious and re-evaluate your motives."

Amélie smirked, "Can't go against the cookie Will."

Vaughn snickered, "You know that game where you're supposed to add 'in bed' after the fortune – either way dude – that one is still bad."

Sydney grinned and then read hers, "You will step on the soil of many countries." She stared at it for a moment, "WHAT a rip off!"

Vaughn grinned, "But add 'in bed.'"

"Just map out Michael's body…" Francie added.

Sydney smiled, "Well ok then."

Vaughn read his, "Your partner will be proud of you…in bed."

"Michael…" Amélie said, "Please."

"Torture by childhood story equals parental torture by sex life."

"That's really not much of a fortune, cause I'm already proud of you baby."

"I know," Vaughn said smiling. "…in bed too," he added.

Sydney chuckled, "Yes that too."

Francie read hers, "Now is the time to try something new."

"…in bed," Will finished quickly, not missing a beat, smiling broadly.

"Jumped all over that one didn't ya Will?" Sydney asked.

"Yup, like white on rice."

"Mom – you're the last one," Vaughn said.

Amélie smiled, "A truly rich life contains love and art in abundance." She looked at Vaughn, "I've had both in you Michael."

He smiled back at her, "Thanks mom."

"Just not in bed," Will added nodding.

"Thank you for that Will," Amélie replied.

Vaughn groaned, "That was just bad man."

Will nodded and yawned, "Yeah I know."

That yawn set off a chain reaction in Francie and Sydney and Vaughn. Soon, they were all yawning.

Amélie looked around the room, "What's the matter with all of you?"

Everyone kept a smug grin as she added, "What you can't keep up with an old lady anymore?"

"Well," Will said, before Vaughn and Sydney sent him equally disapproving glances. He shrugged, "We were all up all night…"

"I see," she said nodding, "Well in that case, don't let me keep you up."

"I don't think any of us will be repeating that this evening," Francie said through another yawn.

"Oh for heaven's sake, go to bed, all of you."

Vaughn laughed, "Man that sounded way too much like when I was 15."

"You kids just go to bed…I'll watch a movie or something…since I know you have the Lord of the Rings movies…Viggo and I may get reacquainted…"

Vaughn rolled his eyes and groaned, accepting the hand that Sydney was offering him, "Get me out of here quick."

"Not too quick Michael," Amélie said getting up and meeting him where he stood. "You're never too old for a goodnight kiss."

Vaughn smiled and hugged his mother after she pressed a kiss into his cheek. Her hands lingered around his face as they parted and she gazed adoringly at her only son. "Goodnight Michael."

"Night mom."

She moved over to Sydney and hugged her as well, "Sleep well."

"You too," Sydney offered as she and Vaughn began to walk slowly towards the bedroom.

"You two aren't getting away from me either," Amélie said as Francie and Will were going to vacate the living room. They both turned back and accepted their hugs before wishing her a goodnight and going off to their own bedroom.

Once the living room was silent, Amélie walked over to retrieve the movie and put it in the player before sitting down on the couch. Before pressing the play button, she merely sat there for a few minutes, thinking…

It was funny how one singular action or thought could trigger thousands of memories from the past. She hadn't thought about Michael's childhood Chinese escapades in years, yet tonight it was as though it were just yesterday. She could always see that little boy in Michael's eyes – his eyes hadn't changed although many other things had. His eyes were always the one constant through the years, vibrantly green and clear, compassionate and affectionate, strong and determined, yet vulnerable in a way only she and few select others knew. There had also been a hidden sadness for years after his father died. It was hard to explain to any child, but especially to an eight-year-old that his father wouldn't be coming home. She supposed that Jack had a similar and even more convoluted experience with Sydney. Sometimes, she could still see it at certain times, just a glimpse or glimmer when she knew Michael was thinking about Bill. She wondered if Sydney had carried that same sadness in her eyes after the 'death' of her mother. They were so much alike; it was alarmingly scary sometimes, yet they fit each other in every way…She prayed that their children would never have that look…

She finally pulled herself out of her thoughts and pressed the play button, willing to lose herself for a few hours until she ventured off to bed.

Vaughn was thinking too as Sydney busily roamed the bedroom and the bathroom readying them both for sleep. As he looked down, watching her unbutton his shirt, he said, "I have to write in my journal tonight."

She looked up at him, "Ok…you want me to leave you alone for awhile after you're dressed for bed?"

"No, you can stay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

She nodded and finished dressing them both. Once they were done with all the other necessities, she brought him the laptop and sat back on the bed with him.

"What do you have to write if you don't mind me asking?"

He smiled, "Barnett asked me to write emotions I feel this weekend since they were bound to be different from…well…like what was normal a while ago."

"I see," Sydney said burrowing into his shoulder.

"Yeah…"

"Well you write away and I'll just focus on the wall and not look at all…"

He smirked, "You can watch."

"Can I?"

"Yeah sure."

She beamed and kissed him on the cheek, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Trusting me to read it."

"Well you'll read it all eventually."

"I know. It's just…I feel very privileged."

"Well it is privileged information," he said looking at her sideways.

"I know."

He looked back at the screen and thought a moment before he started typing.

_'Helen Keller once said, 'When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.' I think I've been looking at that closed door for a long time. It's not that I don't find joy in anything or that I think my life has no joy now, but it's just hard to see the other doors opening when you're standing in half-darkness. I think today, I started to see the light of the other doors. I consciously know that I've come a long way since I started out, but again, small steps are hard to see in the big picture when you're looking back at your own footsteps. A lot of small things have happened already today, but they're becoming a bigger picture of progress. Walking was something that I was proud of, the whole shoe idea became sort of a metaphor for the freedom that walking provides. I don't think those small things aren't taken for granted anymore by anyone that visits this house. I gained another feeling of freedom and relief today now that the sling is off. I can't exactly use the arm to a great extent, but the idea of the sling being gone, the idea that a weight has been lifted is definitely an uplifting one. Being upwardly mobile, using both arms seemed insignificant before but now it's something I find pride in. I'm starting to feel proud of myself again._

_  
My mother's presence has always brought a feeling of comfort. I've been lucky enough to have a mother who has always provided that sense and I'm glad that hasn't changed just because I'm not a child anymore. She always seems to find a way to make me feel about five however with her stories, memories that are enjoyable, yet I sometimes wish she wouldn't share them with the world. Everyone seems to enjoy the stories of my childhood transgressions and it's sort of fun to hear them…but don't tell my mother I said that…'_

Sydney chuckled when he wrote the last line and he turned to look at her.

"You're just as cute now as you were then…maybe cuter."

He smirked, "Thanks."

She was quiet again as he started to write.

_'There are two things that I've been left with today that I find most important. One: hope, again, it's not that I didn't have any before, but I think this weekend is sort of turning point. It's sort of like looking ahead and seeing that this all has an end. I can see the end of the tunnel, and even though there's a lot left to accomplish, I at least can imagine coming out of it now. Two: love, which is something I'm happy to say I have in abundance now. The network of love though has widened past the confines of the bedroom, past the unwavering support and love that Sydney shows me on a daily basis. Before I knew her, my life was incomplete, but now, with her, I feel like a whole person, that she filled in and continues to fill the pieces that I'm missing. Her friends, my friends, and our families are just other pieces of that puzzle that make our life together complete. The most important goal I set for myself when this whole recovery process started was not a physical or a mental repairing of what was done to me, which some people might find strange. It was to be the best man I could be for Sydney, and I know that even if I didn't repair those things that were taken from me, she'd love me just the same. While I want to do it for myself as well, her love is what keeps me going, what keeps me moving forward.'_

Vaughn saved the file and closed the laptop, looking at Sydney.

She was wiping tears away, "I love you."

"I love you too…and it's all true…"

She smiled, "Thank you…and I'm so glad you let me read that. It's nice to know what you're thinking sometimes…I mean – not that you don't tell me…but this is much more personal. Thank you for letting me read it Vaughn, really."

"You're welcome."

Sydney covered a yawn and Vaughn chuckled, "Tired?"

"A little."

"Can you put this on the nightstand?"

"Sure," Sydney said, taking the laptop and moving it over to the nightstand, catching the light on the way. She snuggled back next to Vaughn as they moved down the bed.

"I'm really looking forward to tomorrow," Vaughn said after a few minutes.

"Me too. I think it'll be fun. I'm glad you think so too."

"Yeah…" Vaughn yawned, "I love you Sydney."

She kissed him, "I love you. Night Vaughn."

"Night."

They fell asleep quickly, the lack of sleep from the previous evening sending them off to slumber faster than normal. Will and Francie fared the same, both sleeping soundly by the time Sydney and Vaughn went to bed.

The only sounds left in the house were those of hobbits and elves and one very hot King and the familiar soft tones of Will's snoring…


	79. Chapter 274: I Dream of Antarctica

**Chapter 274: I Dream of Antarctica**

_"Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives." – William Dement_

"I am accustomed to sleep and in my dreams to imagine the same things that lunatics imagine when awake." – Rene Descartes

"I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each other's dreams, we can play together all night." – Bill Watterson – Calvin & Hobbes

"Last night I dreamed I ate a ten-pound marshmallow, and when I woke up the pillow was gone." – Tommy Cooper

"Last night I had a dream that 6 angry ducks broke into my bedroom and started pecking at my pillow wanting their feathers back." – Jeremy Hotz

* * *

Sydney rolled over, fully expecting to feel Vaughn in her path…but he was not next to her. She bolted upright, desperately searching the room for his presence, but he wasn't near her.

She became even more confused when she looked around and realized she was not in her bed and this was not even her room…in fact…this was a beach…'What the?'

Suddenly, Vaughn's distinguishable voice called her name. She turned to see him smiling a dimpled smile at her, waving. He was a ways away, on a dock, standing next to a speedboat; glistening white with a single intermingling stripe of orange and blue on the sides. He waved again, obviously waiting for her to join him.

She couldn't understand what was happening…Vaughn was readying a boat they didn't own for a ride she knew nothing about…He was incredibly tan, his shirt discarded over the drivers' seat of the boat. No signs of torture or pain marked his body; no evidential signs could be seen, at least not from her distance. His hair was lighter, obviously from time in the sun, making almost a whole shade different. Blonde streaks littered his whole head.

He chuckled and yelled something about napping and not being able to keep up with him as he went back to his task, but the distance muffled the words.

She stood finally, the sand beneath her bare feet soft and warm. She looked out at the water, a panorama of turquoises and aquas, indigos and ceruleans with gentle white crests like foam topping on the caressing waves. She pulled herself away from the whirlpool of color and started to walk towards Vaughn, he glancing up from his work every few minutes to check her progress. The sun was hot, but not uncomfortable; the temperature cooler from the water, yet it still was enough to leave a fine sheen of sweat on his back and chest that glistened much like the sun reflecting off the water. As she got closer, she was fascinated with one bead as it started at the top of his back and slid all the way down until it reached the khaki shorts he was wearing, disappearing into the fabric.

As she got closer to him, now stepping on the worn, faded sepia planks of the dock, he spoke again, "Come on, we're gonna be late."

Sydney looked at him strangely, "Late for what?"

"Meeting Dad of course," he said.

"Dad? MY dad?"

Vaughn chuckled and got in the boat, offering her his hand, "Yeah your dad, let's go."

Sydney grabbed his hand and got into the boat, standing there awkwardly as he pushed it away from the sun scarred dock and started the engine.

"Where are we?" she asked.

He looked at her oddly, "Are you ok? We're on vacation…in Antarctica…don't you remember?"

Sydney snorted, "There aren't any beaches in Antarctica Vaughn. It's cold there…"

"I think you got sun stroke or something while you were napping."

Sydney was silent then, watching as they made their way through the calm water, the endless horizon in front of them, fluffy white clouds billowing by and with them. Diamonds sparkled across the water as they traveled, beautifully radiant in the light from the sun.

Vaughn slowed the boat suddenly and Sydney turned to him.

"We're here," he said.

Sydney was about to question, but when she turned around, the horizon was no longer in front of them, but a large island, that seemingly came out of nowhere lay dead ahead.

"But…" she started.

"But what?" Vaughn asked.

"Nothing…"

"Sydney!" her father's voice called. She turned to see him waving ecstatically and in a totally un-Jack-like manner.

"Dad?!" she yelled back, half laughing; half bewildered.

There Jack Bristow stood, waist deep in the shallow water on the other side of the dock, in hip-waders and a fishing hat, complete with flies around the rim of the hat. He had a fly fishing pole in his other hand, and wore a green shirt with all sorts of fishing tackle and equipment bulging out of the pockets.

"It's about time you got here!" he said cheerfully.

"Catching anything?" Vaughn asked.

Jack shook his head; "They're not biting on this bait today. Guide's off getting new bait. You gonna fish with me today son?"

"Not sure, we'll see dad," Vaughn replied.

Sydney looked between the two men like they had lost their minds. 'Why on earth were they referring to each other as father and son?!'

"Ok, let's try this," someone said, wading out into the water towards Jack. The fishing hat covered his features, but the voice was all too familiar.

He handed Jack a shoe, "Bet they'll bite on this," he said.

Jack readily accepted the shoe and tied it onto his line.

"There now cast it out."

"OH MY GOD!" Sydney yelled as the person looked up and the hat no longer covered their face. "Dad! Get away from him!" She flew off the boat, running down the dock the second after Vaughn came near it.

Jack looked baffled as he watched her run towards him. "Why? He's the fishing guide Sydney…You love Julian. We request him every time we come here. He's the best guide in the South Pole."

Sydney stopped, out of breath, Vaughn joining her a few seconds later. "What's wrong with you today?" he asked, "You sure you're feeling ok?"

Sydney could not respond as she looked into the cold, piercing eyes that matched the color of the water.

"You don't recognize me?" Sark asked. "You forget when I helped you reel in the catch of the year on your last trip?" he asked smiling, his accent less noticeable in this place.

"I…uhm…" Sydney struggled for an answer, some sanity, an explanation; anything that would help her figure out what the hell was happening.

"Oh great!" Someone said, "You're here finally!"

Sydney turned again to see Will and Francie walking towards them on the dock.

"What the hell!?" she finally said, as Will was wearing a bright canary yellow rain slicker, complete with bright matching pants made of the same material and a hat to match. He looked in effect, like a large duck.

He smiled, "In case it rains."

She looked around them, blue skies reaching as far as the eye could see. "Will…it doesn't look like it's gonna rain…"

He nodded, "Over there…" he pointed off into the distance, where the blue sky had altered, molding into something that looked much more sinister, rain and storm clouds tumbling and swirling together as they formed their force of nature.

"Oh," she said, as the scene had changed once again right before her eyes. "I guess then…"

"Yeah I have an extra if you want it," he offered.

"No, that's ok."

Her father had a bite, the line pulling violently. "HOOOOOO it's a big one!" he said happily, Sark moving closer to help him reel it in.

"OH we've got it!" Jack said excitedly, Sark grabbing a huge net to put the fish in.

What they reeled in was no ordinary fish…it was huge…and it was the ugliest thing Sydney had ever seen. It looked like a catfish, but it had, of all things, Sloane's head. She was pretty sure it was a catfish, but Sloane's head was throwing her off.

"That's a beauty!" Sark said proudly.

"Kill it!" Sydney yelled.

Jack looked up at her, "Why?"

"Because it's SLOANE!" she yelled, unable to believe that no one else found any of this strange.

Jack seemed to understand his daughter's distress, "Ok…" he started towards her with the very huge, very ugly Sloane-fish and then handed it to Sark and started to take off his waders while he was still in the water.

"No!" Sydney cried, "Don't take the rubbers off!"


	80. Chapter 275: Bean Run

**Chapter 275: Bean Run**

_"This coffee plunges into the stomach...the mind is aroused, and ideas pour forth like the battalions of the Grand Army on the field of battle... Memories charge at full gallop...the light cavalry of comparisons deploys itself magnificently; the artillery of logic hurry in with their train of ammunition; flashes of wit pop up like sharp-shooters." – Honore de Balzac_

"The voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso, cappuccino, and mocha, which are stronger than all the religions of the world combined, and perhaps stronger than the human soul itself." – Mark Helprin

"Decaffeinated coffee is kind of like kissing your sister." – Bob Irwin

"Behind every successful woman... is a substantial amount of coffee." – Stephanie Piro

* * *

"Sydney…Sydney…Syd…come on…"

Sydney jerked awake to the feeling of Vaughn's arm around her. His other was shaking her gently and she was fairly certain in the fogginess of waking that he was chuckling.

"Vaughn?"

"Yeah…I'm right here."

"Oh God Vaughn," she said, turning to look at him.

"What?"

"I just had the more bizarre dream."

"Yeah…what in the world were you talking about when you said, 'Don't take the rubbers off.'"

Sydney looked at him for a minute, "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you do talk in your sleep. I haven't heard it much lately, I think because I'm usually too tired or maybe you don't do it that much anymore…but I sure heard that one…it may have surpassed 'Don't frost the pie.' So please explain to me why there were rubbers in your dream and just exactly who was wearing them."

Sydney found herself giggling uncontrollably, "It was just STRANGE Vaughn…you were calling my dad, 'Dad,' and he was calling you 'Son' and he was fishing with hip waders and Sark was helping him and oh God, we were vacationing at a beach in Antarctica…"

"What?" Vaughn said joining in her giggling.

"Yeah, I know – or rather, I don't know, I have no freaking clue where this is coming from, but we were at a beach in Antarctica and when I asked you about it, it was like I was insane…"

"And the rubbers?"

Sydney snorted, "My dad had on those hip waders and he was gonna take them off when he was still in the water…oh man…it was bad…and Will," she dissolved into a fit of giggles, burrowing into his chest, "He had on one of those suits that like poor crossing guard kids have to wear when it rains – it was yellow. He looked like such a dork."

Vaughn chuckled, "Your dad in hip waders?"

"Yes…and the fish he caught – big ole ugly catfish with Sloane's head on it. I told him to kill it and of course, I was looked at again like I was insane…but then my dad decided he should appease me and was gonna take off the waders for some unknown reason and yeah…that's when I said that…"

"Hmm…Sark the fisherman…"

"Yeah."

"I can see it," he said smirking.

"Shut up!" Sydney said smacking him on the chest playfully. "This was very distressing…and you looked soooooo good."

Vaughn chuckled, "Thanks."

"See – my dreams even make you gorgeous."

"You are always gorgeous in my dreams as well…"

"Aww…thanks," she said, moving up to kiss him sweetly. After the kiss broke, her head went back to his chest, resting there as she thought some more. His hand roamed over her head, through her hair as he giggled some more about what she had said.

"I swear Vaughn, dream analyzers could have a field day with this one."

He smiled, "I'm sure they'd have a ball telling you what it all meant."

"Yeah…" she yawned, "What time is it."

"Would you believe we're up before 6:30am?"

"NO way," she said in disbelief.

"Yup…look over there."

"Well…we did go to bed really early last night."

"Yeah and the whole rubbers dream didn't let us sleep in."

"Right."

"So what are we gonna do this early in the morning? I'm sure not even my mother is up yet after her night of Viggo viewing."

Sydney chuckled, "Well…hmm…are you hungry? You want breakfast?"

"Not really. I'm not too hungry yet."

"Ok…let's see…" she said thinking.

"You know what I really could go for?" Vaughn said after a few minutes, his hand absently running along Sydney's hair.

"What?"

"Coffee…"

She smiled, "I can make coffee."

"No…not made coffee."

"What kind of coffee then?"

"Starbucks."

"Oh."

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had Starbucks? Our coffee Sydney…"

"Since that morning."

"Actually, the morning before, because I never got to have any coffee that morning…" he said quietly.

"You want me to go get some?"

"No."

"Ok then…"

"I want to go with you."

She propped herself up, looking down at him.

"And I want to go back to the coffee shop."

"Vaughn…"

"No I know what you're gonna say…but I want to. It's our coffee shop Sydney…"

"Yeah, I know, but…do you think you're ready for something like that?"

"I want to find out."

"We'd have to drive…"

"I know. I think I can sit in a car Sydney. I've been sitting for weeks on end."

"I know but I don't know if your ribs are ready for that…I just…I don't want you to get hurt."

He smiled at her, "If I don't try, then we won't know. We can always come back."

She smiled back, "Ok…" she said hesitantly. She pushed off of him and walked over to the closet. "Shorts today?"

"Sure."

"Ok…you wanna pick it out?"

"No you can."

"K," she said, digging in the closet and pulling out a pair of olive drab shorts and a beige short-sleeve, button-up shirt with vertical black stripes on it. She came over to him and watched as he sat up on the bed, watching her as she changed his shirt and buttoned it up. She helped him stand and changed the shorts as well before she changed her own clothes; opting for a lilac tank top and khaki shorts.

"We should get breakfast…" Vaughn said as he watched her change.

"That's a good idea…we can get it after the coffee…" She turned back to him, kneeling down, "How's your shoulder?"

"It's ok…sore…but ok."

"You think we should tell someone we're leaving?"

"Leave them a note."

"Good idea." She grabbed a notepad a scrawled a quick note and ran it out to the kitchen, leaving it on the counter. When she came back, she looked at him worriedly. "Ok…I'll get the truck started…make sure the air's working and everything…so it'll be cool enough."

He smiled, understanding her worry, "Ok," he said nodding.

She nodded and turned, glancing back at him one more time before she headed out the door to the truck.

Vaughn sat a minute, thinking about what they were about to undertake. He wondered if this was such a good thing to do on a day like this, but for some reason, he felt compelled to go.

He stood shakily, groaning at the stiffness that assaulted him. He stretched carefully and started to slowly walk out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the kitchen. He stopped by the stools and took a small break, before he continued on and finally made it to the front door.

He opened it just as Sydney was walking towards the door. "Vaughn?" she asked.

"Hi," he said with a smile, "The truck ready?"

She just looked at him for a second before she nodded, "Yeah."

"Are you ready to go then?"

"Yeah," she repeated, holding out her hand and taking a deep breath. He accepted her hand and they stepped outside, the sun already rising in the east and making the earth warm with its powerful rays. Sydney opened the door to the Land Rover for him, and waited, unsure if he could get in it on his own. He surprised her though, sitting down on the seat, the height seeming to be perfect for him to just ease into the truck. He swung his legs in and smiled at her, nodding that he was ready for her to shut the door. She shut it gently and came around the other side, watching him through the front window until she opened her own door and got in.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said nodding.

"What are we gonna do about the seatbelt?" she asked, thinking out loud. "Why don't we just put the shoulder strap behind you."

He nodded and pulled the strap over him, buckling it while she hung onto the strap and then helped him get it behind him.

"Ok ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's go."


	81. Chapter 276: Incarcerated

**Chapter 276: Incarcerated**

_"I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee." – Flash Rosenberg_

"No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee's frothy goodness." – Sheik Abd-al-Kadir

"Someday I will fly from my entrapment, escape the burden of my life and finally live." – Unknown

"My darkest days are here trapped inside the filth and smog of my own jaded soul." – Unknown

"I'm gettin Edgy  
All the time.  
There's someone around me  
Just a step behind.  
It's kinda scary,  
The shape I'm in.  
The walls are shakin'  
And they're closing in.  
Too fast or  
A bit too slow  
I'm paranoid of people  
And it's starting to show.  
There's one guy that  
I just can't shake  
Over my shoulder  
Is a big mistake.

Sitting on the bed  
or lying wide awake.  
There's demons in my head  
And it's more than I can take.  
I think I'm on a roll  
But I think it's kinda weak.  
Saying all I know is  
I gotta get away from me

I tell you something  
Just ain't right.  
My head is on loose  
But my shoes are tight.  
Avoiding friends 'cause  
They all bug.  
Life is like a riddle  
And I'm really stumped.  
If you reason,  
Don't you know  
Your own preoccupation  
Is where you'll go.  


_I think I'm being followed,  
I look around  
It's only my shadow  
Creeping on the ground." – "Gotta Get Away" – Offspring_

* * *

She nodded and put the truck in gear, backing out of the driveway slowly. "Is it cool enough?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said chuckling. When she put the truck in drive, she looked over at him again and he grabbed her hand awkwardly with his left. "I'm ok."

She smiled and wormed her fingers in between his, forming his hand so she could hang onto it. She put her sunglasses on before they pulled out into traffic.

"Shit…" she said.

"What?"

"I don't think I have a pair for you. You want mine?"

"No, I'm good," he said squinting into the sun. "It's actually kinda…nice…" he smiled.

She smiled, "Ok."

They drove in silence for a while, Sydney glancing at him every few seconds. He seemed interested in the scenery, and she supposed some things had changed. Or perhaps he was just adjusting to surroundings again.

"You ok?" she asked again as she glanced just one more time.

"You should know," he said with a smirk, meeting her eyes.

"Why?" she said, turning back and forth between him and the road.

"Because you keep looking at me…"

She smiled, "Sorry…"

"It's ok…but I'm fine…"

"No pain?"

"No it's different…but it doesn't hurt."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah…it's just a different chair ya know."

"Yeah…well you let me know," she said, squeezing his hand.

He nodded and she tried not to watch him so much, but she couldn't really help herself.

As she turned the corner that would lead to the Starbucks where everything started, he gripped her hand tighter, her face flying in his direction, but he seemed ok.

"You sure you wanna do this?" she asked before they would come upon it.

"Yeah," he said, his voice more gravelly than normal.

"Vaughn," she said.

He turned to look at her; she could see so many things in his eyes. Love for her, pride, fear and memories, but mostly determination. She knew no matter what she said, he was determined to do this.

"Park in the alley," he said.

"Vaughn…no," she replied, shaking her head. "No…we agreed to come here, you don't have to relive your whole experience. Please," she said, pulling the car over to the side. "Please honey…"

Vaughn smiled and reached his other hand over to her cheek, the twisting making him wince slightly. "I'm ok…and I want to do this. I need to do this…"

"It's just…maybe today wasn't the best day to do this Vaughn."

"I know I thought about that too…but I think it's the perfect day to do it…It's not that I'm not scared Sydney. I'm terrified…it's just something I know I need to do."

"We can come here another day," she offered, but knew it was useless.

"Park in the alley," he repeated, his voice getting shakier by the minute.

She kissed his palm and he turned back, she looked back up the road, seeing the awning of the Starbucks as it hung over the sidewalk. She could see people milling about, walking in and out and the block seemed shorter than it ever had, closing in on them. She knew the alley would only seem even smaller.

She was going to ask him one more time if he really wanted to do this, but all she had to do was look at him to get the answer. He was staring out the window, watching the people as well; she could almost visibly see the thoughts running through his head.

She pulled back out into traffic and turned into the alley. "You want me to turn around so you can see the road?"

"No…I didn't park that way…"

She put the truck in park and looked at him again, "Vaughn…"

"It's ok…you can go get the coffee. I don't think I'm ready to go in yet…I don't like crowds much."

She looked at him, "Why don't we go through the drive thru? Then you don't have to do this alone."

"No, I want to…" he turned to her, "You go get the coffee."

"Vaughn, I'm not going to leave you here alone."

"Yeah you are."

"No, I'm not going to lose you again."

He smiled, "You're not going to lose me."

"I'm not taking that chance."

"I'll be fine. This is different."

She shook her head, "I agreed to all of this so far, don't make me leave you."

"Syd…"

She shook her head again, "No."

"Syd…you have to. You can't do everything with me. There are some things I have to alone. This is one of those things. I have to face this alone. You'll only be gone a few minutes. I can't wait in the line and I'm not gonna walk in there like this right now."

She touched his face, "I don't care how you walk in there Vaughn."

"I know. And I don't really either, but not now…I won't be able to stand in line if it's a long one, you know that. Now go in…I'll be right here."

"Vaughn," she choked out.

"Go," he said gently, pointing to the door.

She looked at him one more time and then leaned over the seat and kissed him, her hand lingering on his face. She pushed the door open and got out, leaving the engine running so he wouldn't get hot. She closed the door and took a minute just to look at him through the window. He smiled and she smiled back before she forced her legs to move and walk away from the car.

She looked back at the car for a minute before she went around the corner and walked into the coffee shop, sighing when the line was longer than she wanted. Well…she wanted it to be just her in line, but that wasn't possible today it seemed.

Despite the cool temperature of the car, Vaughn was hot. He was sweating, and he understood why, but it didn't make him feel at ease. He turned up the fan on the air conditioner, but it just made the sweat 

cold. He looked down the alley, and then closed his eyes for a moment, and when he reopened them, a van was in front of the truck, black, darkened windows. He watched as the scene from his memory replayed, a man hitting him over the head and dragging him to the van, throwing him in the back roughly. It didn't take more than a few seconds, but it seemed like hours. The brick walls the surrounded the alley seemed closer, moving inward like a garbage compactor. Even though the truck was filled with air, it seemed like all the air was leaving like an astronaut's compressor chamber. He had never been a claustrophobic person, but that's exactly how he felt right now. He wanted nothing more than to get out of the truck, but he forced himself to stay, because out there, there was no where else to go.

Sydney finally made it up to the counter and hurriedly placed her order, trying to be as polite as possible. She tapped her foot nervously, willing the girl behind the counter to move faster and fill the order.

When she FINALLY filled the order, Sydney threw the money on the counter and ran out the door as fast as she could with two cups of coffee in her hands. She rounded the corner, wondering how Vaughn was handling this and saw that the passenger door was open. She dropped the coffee and ran over to the open door, calling Vaughn's name.

"I'm right here…" she heard.

Her head flew in the direction of the voice. Vaughn was standing a ways ahead in the alley, hunched slightly.

She ran over, "Vaughn…"

He turned to her, "Hey."

"Are you…"

"I couldn't stay in the car…"

She put her hand on his back, "Let's go sit down…"

He shook his head, "When I was in the car…It was like I could see it all over again…"

"Yeah…"

"Can we…go somewhere else?"

"Sure…"

He nodded and turned around, holding onto her.

"I'm gonna have to get more coffee…" she said as she helped him back into the truck.

"Why?"

"Well…I sort of dropped it when you weren't in the car. It's over there," she pointed.

Vaughn leaned out, seeing the evidence of their coffee on the asphalt. "I'm sure that's what it looked like that day," he said shaking his head, "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to worry you…I just couldn't stay in the car…"

"No, it's ok…just…I'll go back in…why don't you leave the door open…"

He nodded as she went off again, getting back in line, thankful that it was shorter than the last time.


	82. Chapter 277: Paroled

**Chapter 277: Paroled**

_"The key to change…is to let go of fear." – Rosanne Cash_

"A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner, neither do uninterrupted prosperity and success qualify for usefulness and happiness. The storms of adversity, like those of the ocean, rouse the faculties, and excite the invention, prudence, skill and fortitude or the voyager. The martyrs of ancient times, in bracing their minds to outward calamities, acquired a loftiness of purpose and a moral heroism worth a lifetime of softness and security." – Unknown

"Men go abroad to wonder the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering." – St. Augustine

"All love that has not friendship for its base, is like a mansion built upon sand." – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"Come unto these yellow sands,  
And then take hands:  
Courtsied when you have, and kiss'd  
The wild waves whist." – William Shakespeare

"To see a world in a Grain of Sand,  
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,  
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,  
And eternity in an hour." – William Blake

* * *

She emerged again with the coffee and was relieved that this time, Vaughn was still in the car.

She came around to his side of the car; he was still looking off into the alley. "Hey," she said, handing him his cup of coffee. "It's a vanilla latte…"

He nodded.

"I didn't think anything stronger would be good yet…" She closed his door and walked around the truck, opened her door and got in.

"What did you get?"

"A venti Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel on top."

"Jesus," he said chuckling.

"Yeah I went a lil overboard…but it's really good."

"And I get a grande? This is grande right?"

She smirked, "Yeah…sorry…"

"Can I have a sip?"

"Yeah you can have a sip," she said, handing her cup over. She watched as he sucked a large part of the whipped cream off the top. "Hey…"

He smiled, "Well you got the venti…"

She smiled back, "You ready?"

He looked back up the alley, "Yeah…"

She nodded and put her coffee in the cup holder, putting the truck in drive and driving through the back of the alley instead of backing out.

She watched as Vaughn's eyes tracked the whole alley, like he was imprinting it in his mind. She pulled out into traffic again and started to drive away. "Where do you want to go?"

"Wherever…"

"Beach?"

"Which beach?"

"Santa Monica?"

"As long as it's not the pier…pier is for when I'm better…"

She smiled, "Right…well if we just go to the park…it won't be the pier…we will just see a part of it."

"Ok."

She said nothing else then, just driving to the beach. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but she found herself wondering what was going on in Vaughn's mind.

She pulled into the parking lot and parked the car, the whole park shaded from the blazing sun.

"You want to get out? Stay in the car? What would you like?"

"Uhm…I think staying in is ok…"

"K."

"It's not claustrophobic now."

"It was in the alley?"

"Yeah."

She didn't press him to say anything else, knowing that he'd tell her if he needed to.

"The beach looks nice today," he said quietly.

"Yeah it does."

"Looks quiet."

"Mmhmm…you wanna go down there?"

He shook his head, "Not today."

"K," she said nodding.

"I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's ok…I just got worried…wasn't easy for me to go back there either…"

Vaughn turned to look at her, "I'm sorry. You should have said something."

"No it was something you needed to do – you said so. And I suppose something I needed to do too…it's just different for you. I was a bystander, you were in the game."

"Still…"

"You wanna talk about it?"

He sighed, "It's where it all started. I'm sort of proud that I went back…made it out of the truck," he said nodding.

"Yeah, that was great honey…you did a wonderful job. It was very brave…"

He smiled slightly, "Thanks…"

"What did you think about when I was in the shop?"

"Lots of things…"

"Things you want to talk about?"

"I remember thinking about what I thought that day. My last thought before I blacked out was that you wouldn't get your coffee that morning. And I know how you get without your coffee…" he smiled.

Sydney smiled, "Thank you…"

"Yeah you're never far from my thoughts at any time."

"Ditto."

"I thought about what I could have done differently that morning…or if we would have left together…if we

would have made love and been late for work, having no time to stop…we would have gotten that mud they pass off as coffee in Ops…"

Sydney chuckled, "Yeah, it's very bad."

"Yeah…I guess…it doesn't matter what could have happened. What did, it's already done…even if I would have done something differently, they probably would have got me another time…the next time I went to the shop…on the road…they could have pulled me over just as easily…"

"That's true."

"Getting out…it's funny because you'd think I wouldn't want to get out of the truck…that staying in would be safer…but it was like – if I stayed in the car…then I wasn't accomplishing anything…It was like some part of myself was forcing the confrontation. It was odd that the place that scared me was the place that I needed to be in most at the moment."

"Are you glad you did it?"

"Yeah…I'm glad we went back…going back means that I'm not afraid anymore. It's not like I won't think about it but the more I confront, the less it's affecting me…"

"That's great. I'm so proud of you…" she said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek until he moved his head and let the kiss reach his mouth.

As they parted, he smiled, "I'm proud too. I mean I didn't pass out or throw up or anything…"

She smirked, "All very positive."

"Thank you…"

"For what?"

"Coming with me, bringing me, letting me do it…being with me after."

"You're welcome."

"Talking with me…telling me I'm not insane," he smiled.

"Well you aren't," she said smiling back, "Not yet anyway."

He laughed, "I love you."

"I love you too."

He took her hand and settled back into the seat, letting the warmth of her hand and the contrasting cool air blowing on them relax him. He looked out to the beach, watching the surf and the waves gently meet the shore, washing the beach with a new batch of grainy sediment.

"That's sort of ironic," he said suddenly.

"What is?"

"I just think oddly metaphoric things at times."

"Like what?" she said, turning in her seat to look at him.

"The beach…"

"Yeah."

"Sort of metaphorical for today if you think about it."

"In what way?"

"Well…the water keeps bringing new sand to the shore, refreshing it…renewing it…but it's still the same shore…just ironic in light of today in particular. I told you about that once before, you remember?"

"Yeah…that guy…name started with an H…"

"Right Heraclitus…"

"Yeah, him," Sydney said smiling.

"It's sort of like that today – we went back to where everything started…sort of seems like a turning point. Just like yesterday – I guess I'm seeing this weekend in that light. It's just different. I'm different…"

"This is a good thing though right?"

"Yeah…I think so," he said smiling. "Maybe I'm just looking at things differently…"

"Just as long as you're not looking at me differently," she said.

He turned to her, "Never…the only 'different' that ever applies to you is how much more beautiful and wonderful you get each day. You amaze me every day."

Misty tears formed in the corners of her eyes as she leaned over to meet him again, "I think that should be reversed."

"I don't."

"We're even then…" she said, meeting his lips again.

The park was starting to fill up when they parted and looked out again. They glanced at the clock; it was 8:15 and the morning jogging and exercising crowd had started to pour in. There were people from all paths of life, working out, walking their dogs; going for early morning walks.

"I'm hungry…" Vaughn said.

Sydney chuckled.

"Wanna get outta here?"

"Sure…where would you like breakfast from?"

"McDonald's," he blurted out.

She guffawed at his suggestion, "I think not mister…try again."

"Aww but they have those yummy bagels that are filled with grease…"

Sydney snorted when she turned to see him pouting, "If you reaaaally want one…"

"Yes?" he said expectantly, his eyebrows arching in anticipation.

"We can get McDonald's."

"I don't think they serve salads this early Mrs. Vaughn."

She smiled, "Well then I might just have to splurge and get a bagel filled with grease Mr. Vaughn. I already had the coffee…"

"Right…I think that's an excellent idea."

"Mac and Don's Supper Club it is then," she said, pulling out into the morning traffic on their way to the Golden Arches.


	83. Chapter 278: Off Like a Heard of Turtles

**Chapter 278: Off Like a Heard of Turtles**

_"The sands are number'd that make up my life." – William Shakespeare_

"A pedestrian is someone who thought there were a couple of gallons left in the tank." – Author Unknown

"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves." – Albert Einstein

"There is more refreshment and stimulation in a nap, even of the briefest, than in all the alcohol ever distilled." – Edward Lucas

* * *

Sydney sighed when yet another pedestrian decided to choose that moment to cross in front of them. "At this rate, it'll be tomorrow before we get there."

Vaughn chuckled, "We've only been in traffic for like a minute here Syd…"

She sighed again, "Yeah I know…but if they're crossing here, that means they're ALL gonna cross."

"You got a hot date?"

"Yeah, I'm meeting this guy at the McDonald's. He's supposed to be really hot and loves greasy bagels. I'm not much one for them myself, but I'll eat one now and then if it makes him happy."

Vaughn chuckled, "He's very lucky."

"She's very lucky as well."

He smiled and looked out the window, seeing the people walking on the promenade, kids running with their parents, people walking their dogs, and a few dogs walking their owners.

Sydney sighed again, making Vaughn smirk. She finally turned the radio on, desperate for something to soothe her annoyance at the walkers and passersby, many of which would reach their destination before they did.

After changing the station several times, tisking in disgust at a particularly unappealing male-oriented morning show, she settled on a soft rock station.

_…your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.  
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.  
I love you more with every breath, truly, madly, deeply do.  
I will be strong, I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning,  
A reason for living, a deeper meaning. Yeah._

I wanna stand with you on a mountain,  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.  
I wanna lay like this forever,  
Until the sky falls down on me.

Sydney looked over at Vaughn, but he was already looking at her, a gentle smile playing on his face. He reached out his hand and took hers, forcing his fingers to wrap around hers as much as they could. Their joined hands rested on her thigh and suddenly, Sydney didn't care about the traffic anymore. Another crowd made it's way across the street, but Sydney didn't sigh in annoyance. The words filled her ears and Vaughn filled her gaze…

_And when the stars are shining brightly in the velvet sky,  
I'll make a wish send it to heaven, then make you want to cry.  
The tears of joy for all the pleasure and the certainty,  
That we're surrounded by the comfort and protection of.  
The highest powers, in lonely hours, the tears devour you._

I wanna stand with you on a mountain,  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.  
I wanna lay like this forever,  
Until the sky falls down on me.

She could have sat in that car, in that spot, never moving, for hours. It was completely captivating; Vaughn's eyes flickering like the sunlight playing over the water. The world seemed to dissolve; leaving only her and Vaughn, trapped in an invisible snow globe and the visible confines of her Land Rover. It wasn't just the man who sat next to her, but the power of the words of the song and what they meant at this particular moment. This was a new beginning, a new direction in their lives…

_Oh can you see it baby?  
You don't have to close your eyes 'cause it's standing right before you.  
All that you need will surely come._

She believed those words, and reading Vaughn's face, she could tell he was thinking the same thing. Traffic moved slowly ahead finally, breaking their gaze momentarily, but not their touch, their hands still locked together in an unrelenting embrace.

_I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.  
I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.  
I'll love you more with every breath, truly, madly, deeply do._

I wanna stand with you on a mountain,  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.  
I wanna lay like this forever,  
Until the sky falls down on me.

I wanna stand with you on a mountain,  
I wanna bathe with you in the sea.  
I wanna live like this forever,  
Until the sky falls down on me...

The song finished as they pulled into the parking lot of McDonald's and Sydney wished that it had been a cd so she could have repeated it and they could have stayed in that feeling, that protective bubble forever, where no one could touch them. But as she looked at Vaughn again, she knew as long as they were together, the bubble was in place, and nothing could come between them.

She reached out and touched his cheek, "What would you like?"

"I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too…don't think I can order that though…"

"I'll have a sausage, egg and cheese bagel…and a hash brown."

She laughed, "Ok…"

"Make sure they put the sauce on it."

"Got it."

She ordered Vaughn's food and then everyone else's, "You want a toy?" she asked.

"Not that kind of toy."

"You could make Will jealous."

"I'll pass – I've got all the toys I want."

She giggled as she paid the very young, very unfriendly worker and pulled ahead to pick up the food. When it was secured, she pulled back out into traffic.

They had waited about 10 minutes, not even halfway back home when she looked over at Vaughn, their hands joined once again. She smiled and held in a chuckle when she found he had fallen asleep; his head resting on the back of the seat, his mouth slightly agape. She knew the early morning wake-up and the things he had already dealt with today were going to take their toll, but she figured it might hold off until they got home. He looked positively adorable, nodding off like a child who tired with car rides. She turned the radio down and adjusted the temperature of the air conditioner so he wouldn't get too cold, humming quietly to the music as she waited for the traffic to move, no longer concerned with how long it took…home was right here…

She pulled in the driveway about a half hour later and debated what to do with Vaughn. She couldn't very well leave him in the car, but waking him was not something she wanted to do either. She finally decided she had to; he had to eat as well. She moved their hands, bringing them up to her lips and kissed the back of his hand gently while her other moved to nudge him gently on the chest.

"Vaughn…baby…we're home…"

His head lolled for a moment before it bobbed forward just a bit too far, breaking him out of the nap.

"What?" he said groggily, squinting at the brightness, looking around, "Where…are we home?"

"Yeah…you fell asleep."

"Yeah."

"You ok?"

"Yeah…just…riding in the car makes me tired…"

She smiled, "I see that."

"Not if I'm driving," he added.

"Noted…you wanna get out? Or you want a few minutes yet?"

"No, I think I'm good."

"K." She grabbed the food and met him on the other side of the truck, closing the door for him and taking 

his hand as he yawned and they walked to the front door.

"Fooooooood," she heard as they entered, Will meeting them at the door. "I'm starving." He waited by the door until Sydney and Vaughn were inside and then closed it behind them.

"Congratulations too…"

"For what?" Vaughn asked.

"Car ride," Will said, already devouring a hash brown.

He smiled, "Oh…thanks." Francie was making coffee in the kitchen and his mother was sitting on one of the stools. "Hi mom."

"Hello Michael," she said, beaming at him. "How was the ride?"

"Good."

Sydney smiled, "It was very productive."

Will stopped chewing, "You don't mean…"

Sydney shook her head, grabbing the bag of food from him, "Do you live in the gutter?"

"Yeah," he said nonchalantly.

Sydney set the bag on the counter; Francie taking over to take all the food out of the bag and sort it out. They all retreated to the living room then, breakfast sandwiches, hash browns and beverages abounding.

"This is soooooo good," Will said happily.

Amélie looked at Sydney, "You know…he can't have frosting on brownies – but he can have this?"

"Well…it was a special occasion," she said.

"Nice way to wiggle out of that one," Vaughn said approvingly.

"Thank you," she said, biting into her own sandwich.

"So where did you guys go to get coffee?" Francie asked.

Sydney looked at Vaughn, "Starbucks…we took it to the park then."

Will noticed the look between the two, "Which Starbucks?"

Sydney looked over at him, and then back at Vaughn, but she didn't say anything else.

"What?" Amélie said.

"THE Starbucks?" Will asked.

Sydney didn't answer, leaving that information up to Vaughn to divulge if he wanted to.

"Yes," he said after a few seconds.

"Whoa…"

Amélie put her sandwich down, "You went back to where it happened?"

Vaughn looked at her, "Yes."

"Was there a reason you did this today?"

"Many."

"And they would be?"

"I needed to do it. That's the only one you need to know."

Amélie stared her son down, but he had too many of her traits mixed with his father's for her to argue too much.

"Did it help?" Will asked.

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah…it did."

"Good," he said nodding. He waited a minute and then decided to take the spotlight off of Vaughn, "So what else do we need to do before everyone gets here?"

"We should get some ice for all the drinks," Francie said, "We can get it at the restaurant. Why buy it when I can get it for free."

"I love an economical woman," Will said. He watched as Donovan trotted over and looked longingly up at him, eyeing the hash brown Will had in his hand.

Vaughn noticed too, "Don't feed him that. He's fat enough already after Weiss had him all those weeks. You need some serious exercise," he said, addressing the dog.

He looked back at Vaughn and then turned to Will, whimpering for the hash brown.

"Nope…sorry buddy," he said. "I can take you to the park…"

Donovan snorted and looked down, before he gave up and turned around in three full circles before lying down on the ground at Will's feet.

He smirked and chuckled, "Well, I suppose we can go anytime you want Fran."

"You guys go ahead, I can clean up," Sydney said.

"Ok," Will got up, Francie following. Donovan stayed where he was until Will called him, "Come on boy!"

He picked his head up and happily ran over to Will and out the door.

Sydney watched them go and then got up, "So what did you do last night Amélie?"

"I watched Viggo of course…"

Vaughn groaned, "Ok…that's my cue."

Sydney chuckled and turned back to him, "Cue for what?"

"If you two are gonna go on another Viggo tour, I'm outta here. I'm gonna go take a nap…I'm kinda wiped

out."

Both Sydney and Amélie looked at him, but Sydney was the first to speak, "You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired," he said, reaching out his hand for her to help him up.

"You want me to come with you? Get you settled?"

"Sure."

"I'll be right back Amélie."

"Take your time. Have a good nap Michael."

"Thanks mom."

She watched and Sydney and Vaughn walked to the bedroom and then started to clean up the breakfast.


	84. Chapter 279: The Great Ketchup Incident

**Chapter 279: The Great Ketchup Incident of 1972**

_"Determination is the wake-up call to the human will." – Anthony Robbins_

"A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop." – Robert Hughes

"Ketchup left overnight on dinner plates has a longer half-life than radioactive waste." – Wes Smith

"Americans can eat garbage, provided you sprinkle it liberally with ketchup, mustard, chili sauce, Tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, or any other condiment which destroys the original flavor of the dish." – Henry Miller

"Shake and shake the ketchup bottle; none will come, and then a lot'll." – Anonymous

* * *

"You sure you're ok?" Sydney asked as they got to the bedroom.

"Yeah, I'm just tired…lots today already. I don't wanna fall asleep in the middle of the barbeque."

"You sure that's all?"

"I'm not gonna lie and say it was easy. It took a lot out of me, ok?"

"Well yeah I figured."

"So yeah, I think I just need to cool it for a while."

"That's fine honey. You wanna change or just sleep in those clothes?"

"I'll just sleep in these."

"Ok." She helped him recline and then sat down next to him. She leaned over and kissed his forehead, her hand running through his hair. "I'm proud of you…I know I said that…but…"

"Thank you. I am too."

"Sleep well. Call me if you need anything."

"Ok…love you."

"Love you too."

"Night."

"Night Vaughn."

She kissed him quickly on the lips and walked out, closing the door quietly behind her. When she reached the living room, most of the breakfast had been cleared away.

"Amélie, you didn't have to do that."

She smiled from the kitchen, "Oh it was no trouble. Gave me something to do so I wasn't worrying about my son."

Sydney smiled.

"Is he ok?"

"Yeah. Just tired."

"What happened today?"

"Just memories revisited I think…but he did really well with it. I'm very proud of what he accomplished, and we talked about it. I think he's really ok with it. It was a big step – sort of a transition point. That's what I think this whole weekend is to him."

"Just seemed like an inopportune time to do it."

"Yeah, we talked about that too…but it was something he wanted to do and he wanted to do it now, so I'm not gonna try to stop him."

"No…that's never a good idea," she said smiling, "He's extremely determined when he wants to be…and he can be very stubborn."

Sydney nodded, "Yeah, but I can be too…"

"I think we all can…and I can't imagine WHERE he gets his stubbornness from…" she winked, "Certainly wasn't from me…"

"Of course not…" Sydney said smiling back. "Has he always been that way?"

"Yes…mostly – he was always very independent. I suppose some of it came from being an only child, but he was very determined if he set his mind to something."

Sydney nodded as they cleared the last of the remnants.

Amélie made a nostalgic hum as she looked out the window.

"What?"

"Nothing…just thinking about Michael as a boy…"

"Tell me."

Amélie smiled, "Well it illustrates his determinism, but it's not one of those happy childhood stories…"

"Doesn't matter, tell me anyway. Let's go sit down."

They walked to the living room and sat down on the couch.

"I'm not exactly sure how he got interested in it…I think Bill bought him one for his birthday or something…anyway…Bill always made models – cars, planes, those kits you can buy. Well, he bought a starter kit for Michael, oh he must have only been five or so, and those Level One kits are really very easy, but as you move up to the Level Twos and Threes it gets very complicated. Bill was always so good with details, he passed that on to Michael, but at five or six, hell even older, those little car and plane parts are just too much for a little boy to handle. There's glue and paint and oh lord, it took forever, but Bill enjoyed it and so did Michael. I'm not sure he was really into the model so much as spending time with his father. They'd spend all night down in the basement working on Bill's workbench, they each had a stool," she smiled remembering.

"They had started a new car just a few days before Bill left for his last mission…I don't remember the kind of car…but it was a race car…it had Snickers as its sponsor, so there were stickers that you put on at the end…" She stopped a minute, "I think I told you before that Michael never cried at the funeral…I knew he was trying to be responsible…but I heard him a few times at night…I was never sure if I should go in or not. I did a few times and we'd cry together, but one night…it was probably a week after the funeral…I went to check on him before I went to bed and he wasn't in his room. I checked all over the house…but I couldn't find him anywhere. I finally noticed the door to the basement was ajar, so I went down there and sure enough, there was Michael…" she shook her head, "I'm not sure I handled Bill's death correctly, and I was certain I hadn't when I saw him. He was at the workbench, which was 3 times his size, too small for the stool, just a little boy…sobbing over that car. He had everything out just like Bill had it…paint lined up, brushes, thinner, the cloths to wipe the brushes on…tears were just pouring from his eyes, his whole body was shaking, his hands were just trembling as they tried to glue those little pieces together. He kept missing because he couldn't see through the tears, and he was getting so frustrated, you could tell, but he refused to stop."

"Boys are too big to be picked up when they're eight-years-old. But by some power I managed to pick him up and carry him all the way up the stairs. He kept telling me that he had to go finish it, and trying to reason with an emotional child is never easy. I kept asking why he had to do it now, why tonight was so important and he wouldn't answer me. I knew there was a reason; children don't usually wake up in the middle of the night unless there is a reason. I finally got it out of him that even though he rationally knew that his father was not coming back that he thought maybe if he finished the car it would make it different because Bill would be so proud of him for finishing it that he'd have to come back and tell him…"

Amélie looked over to Sydney who was full-out bawling, "That is so sad…"

Amélie smiled and pulled her over into a hug, "It was his way of dealing with it…and yeah it was sad, but incredibly sweet, and we talked a long time then…I think he just finally needed to let it go. He was only eight; he needed to mourn his father too…he needed to realize that he wasn't an adult and that he couldn't be Bill…"

Sydney nodded, "That sounds like Vaughn."

"Yes, that's my little boy…and he did finish the car."

"Of course he did."

"It sits on the mantle at our house."

Sydney smiled, "I'd love to see it."

"You will."

"Tell me another story…one that's…happier."

Amélie chuckled, "Ok…let me think…would you like another stubborn Michael story?"

"Sure."

"Hmm…" she chuckled, "Well there was Michael's first independent ketchup incident."

"Sounds promising."

"Yes, well he loved ketchup from birth I think. He was three…and we grilled out…he was having a cheeseburger and he was adamant about putting the ketchup on himself. 'I do it myself,'" she said

imitating a young Vaughn. "So we let him, and he must have put a half a bottle on that cheeseburger and of course some to dunk. So there's ketchup all over the plate, you could scarcely see the burger and he picks it up and tries to wrap his little mouth around it. He bites into it…like a three year old of course and ketchup squirted all over – down his arms, all over the table, his whole shirt was speckled with it. I'm quite sure Bill and I were wearing some too and wouldn't ya know – he ate the whole damn mess…ketchup and all."

Sydney giggled, "I can so picture that in my head. I'm surprised he can contain himself now. And of course now every time he has ketchup I'll imagine that. I think every time I hear another story about him I fall in love with him more or all over again, if that's possible…"

"Oh it is," Amélie agreed. "I continue to every day as well. Just because he's older that doesn't change anything. I think you fall in love with your children, your family and friends every day, for whatever reason."

"Definitely."

Amélie smiled as she looked at Sydney, "You'll have your own stories to tell one day…and a few in reserve to tell your children about their father…"

"I'll leave those to you."

"Well the childhood ones sure, but I think you'll handle many of his adult incidents."

Sydney smirked, "Yes, I'd be happy to share them."

"Just remember he can turn the tables. I'm waiting for the day he starts to tell very embarrassing ones about me."

Sydney raised an eyebrow, "I'll have to remember to ask him about that."

"Oh yes, please do," Amélie said sarcastically with a smile, "I can't wait to hear those."

Sydney chuckled, "Me neither."

"Hear what?" Vaughn said as he walked out of the bedroom, his hair messily sticking out on the left side of his head.

Sydney giggled, "Nothing."

Amélie smiled.

"Oh great, more stories mom?"

Sydney smiled at him as he sat down slowly between the two women, letting out a sigh as he leaned back.

"Just a few," she replied looking at him.

Sydney smiled at her, knowing exactly what she was thinking, "You have a nice nap?" Sydney asked as he yawned.

He nodded, "Yeah, it was good."

Sydney giggled.

"What?" he asked, turning to the right to look at her.

She reached behind him and patted the hair that was sticking up, "Bed head."

Amélie chuckled.

"I can't wait to know what you two talked about," Vaughn said looking at his mother.

"Just things…"

"Mmhmm…what did you tell her now?"

Amélie just smiled.

Vaughn turned to Sydney, "Spill."


	85. Chapter 280: Shark Attack – Coming to a

**Chapter 280: Shark Attack – Coming to a Toilet Near You (Look Before You Sit – Just When You Thought it Was Safe to Go to the Bathroom…)**

_"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance." – Franklin P. Jones_

"Today you can go to a gas station and find the cash register open and the toilets locked. They must think toilet paper is worth more than money." – Joey Bishop

"There are 350 varieties of shark, not counting loan and pool." – L. M. Boyd

"When a child is locked in the bathroom with water running and he says he's doing nothing but the dog is barking, call 911." – Erma Bombeck

* * *

"Uhm…we discussed a certain ketchup incident."

Vaughn rolled his eyes, "I was three…come on!"

"You so eat like that now."

"I do not!"

"Well you don't get ketchup on yourself anymore…not much anyway," Sydney said chuckling.

"It's not a good idea to leave you two alone together."

"Oh I like it," Sydney said disagreeing.

"Me as well," Amélie concurred.

"I'm not that messy," Vaughn said defensively.

"Oh I think I've seen a lil splatter of ketchup here and there…" Sydney said nodding.

Vaughn sighed, "Fine."

Sydney and Amélie both chuckled.

"What else?"

Sydney looked at Amélie a minute and she smiled and nodded.

Sydney leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"What?"

"I want to see the car…"

"What car?"

"The Snickers model car."

Vaughn looked down as the visual image of the car clicked in his mind. He glanced at his mother and then back to Sydney. He shrugged, "I don't know what to say about that."

"You don't have to say anything."

He was quiet for a minute.

"You mad?"

"No. Just hadn't thought about that in a long time."

Amélie's face was a mirror of Vaughn's, "Me neither."

"How did you get on that subject?" he asked quietly.

"We were discussing your determinism," Amélie said.

Vaughn nodded. "It was something I needed to do…"

"I understand," Sydney said, making him turn to look at her.

He smiled, "It's on the mantle at mom's house."

Sydney nodded, "Yeah she told me…I want to see it."

"Pretty messy car," Vaughn said grinning.

"Meaning's still there…"

He nodded.

Amélie ran her hand over the hair that still stuck up on the side of Vaughn's head, smiling wistfully, "My sweet lil boy."

Vaughn smiled.

She looked over at Sydney, "You're welcome to come over and see it anytime. Now that you've been in a car, maybe you two can come visit…"

Sydney smiled, "That would be wonderful. I'd love to see the house Vaughn grew up in."

Vaughn smirked, "Yeah I'm sure the house would give you ample opportunity to tell horrendous stories."

Sydney looked mischievously over at Amélie, "Well Vaughn, you know I'm sure you have stories about your mom too…"

Vaughn turned to her, "Heeeeeey…that's right…"

Amélie chuckled and moved her hand away, "Wonderful."

"Turn about is fair play mother," Vaughn said with a grin.

"Yes, I know dear."

Vaughn grinned evilly, "Hmm…let's see…what can I tell…ooooooh…" he turned to his mother, "Should I tell Sydney about the time you almost flooded our whole house?"

Amélie snorted, "Should I tell her how it started?"

"Sure…" Vaughn said with a smile.

Amélie smirked, "Michael came home after the second day of Kindergarten telling me all about sharks. They had a special class about sharks…and well…when all is quiet in a house with a five year old – you know there's trouble. Then I heard the toilet upstairs flushing…repeatedly."  
Sydney started to laugh.

"I go up the stairs to the bathroom and there's Michael, looking in the toilet bowl." She shook her head, "I asked him what he was doing and he told me that he wanted Marc – that was his toy shark to be able to swim with the other sharks so he was going to flush him to the ocean…"

Sydney doubled over in laughter.

Amélie chuckled, "Well, yes, although humorous, my little boy had managed to actually flush most of the shark down the pipe…of course, every time he flushed, the pipe was getting more and more clogged, and the water was rising in the bowl. By the time I got there, it was almost to the top. So I shooed him away and tried to get it out, but it was pretty stuck in there, so I decided I could probably plunge it out."

Vaughn snorted, "So I'm in the hall, and I hear her attempting to plunge. So I peek in and water's sloshing out of the toilet, going all over the floor and then…" he stopped chuckling, "she decides that it's been plunged enough and that Marc will be able to make it down the pipe…Right…so she flushes it…and this huge woosh of water just erupts from the toilet, I suppose from the pressure that was building. So she screams and like stands on this step stool in there, and pretty much watches as the water is pouring out of the bowl. And so I'm watching with an open mouth from the hallway, watching as the water is quickly moving towards me. And she starts screaming for me to get help. Like what was I gonna do? Where was I gonna get help? It's not like the police are gonna come for a leaking toilet." He stopped laughing, "And so I'm like watching her, and I just started to laugh, cause there she is like trying to lean over then and turn off the water without getting off of the stool and she finally has to step off and she suddenly decides to stop the flow of the water – so she's grabbing towels and throwing them on the floor and finally gets the water shut off. So she looks at me all proud and them I'm like – mom…and I point to the corner of the room where there's a vent…and yeah – water was like dripping into the heating vent. Suddenly, standing in toilet water didn't seem like such a bad thing."

Amélie chuckled, "I don't think I've ever flown down the stairs so fast. Thankfully there wasn't any damage to the furnace, but I did manage to slip on the rug at the bottom of the stairs and half kill myself…"

"And I did get Marc back – the plumber got him out of the pipe for me. I only saw him for a minute though before he met a very horrible death by garbage can."

Amélie smirked, "I have never regretted throwing that damn shark out either. I didn't feel the least bit bad about it."

"No, but you did feel bad when you shrunk all my hockey jerseys…"

Amélie sighed, "Great…I knew this was going to get me into trouble."

Vaughn smirked and looked at Sydney, "She's horrible with laundry…I washed my own clothes for a good 5 years because I didn't trust her. I was like 10 washing clothes."

"I will admit, it was really bad…"

"I'd put something in and I'd have like baby clothes when they'd come out. Then she'd try to tell me it was the dryer or that I could use them now for my teddy bear."

Sydney chuckled.



"And the dryer ate socks."

"It DID!" Amélie said.

Vaughn laughed, "'Cept every time I washed them – I never lost one."

"It was a conspiracy."

"Right…and that was the same conspiracy that made dad buy new shirts every month."

"Oh stop."

"And pants."

"Michael."

"And socks."

"It wasn't that bad."

"It was too!"

Amélie smirked, "You're blowing it way out of proportion."

"Oh I wish I was. I bet I still have proof at home – many a mini-jersey cause of the 'laundry conspiracy.'"

Amélie shook her head, "It wasn't that bad…" she repeated.

"Yeah…not like we had to buy three…count them, THREE new sets of baseball uniforms cause they went in blue and came out pink. Three times…how you managed that one I'll never know."

"It was the washer!"

"It was not! I washed the FOURTH set after that and never had a problem!"

"It was the dye in the uniforms…"

"Then why didn't I have that problem?"

"I don't know."

Vaughn laughed and looked at Sydney, "She still refuses to admit it after all these years."

Sydney smirked.

"Sydney doesn't have that problem…"

Amélie looked over at her, "Well…she probably has a better washer."

As they all chuckled, the front door opened and Will and Francie came in, Will carrying Donovan.

"What happened?" Vaughn asked.

Will set the dog down and he trotted over to his water dish.

"Well…" Will started, closing the door behind Francie who was carrying the ice, "I've had quite a time…"

Francie started laughing as she put the ice in the freezer until they needed it. "It was so funny," she said between giggles.

Will glared at her, "Yeah, I'm sure you thought so since you weren't the one chasing after his ass."

"What?" Vaughn asked. "You look tired…round two in the pantry?"

Will slumped into the chair, "NO. We took Donovan to the park…thought it might do him good. Well he was fine, just kinda having fun trotting around. Yeah – THEN – he like takes off! I'm yelling after him as I run all over the freaking park!"

Vaughn chuckled, "Was he chasing something?"

"WELL…APPARENTLY the poor dog's been traumatized since when I FINALLY caught up with him behind some bushes he was just FINISHING having a REALLY NICE time with some hot lil doggie. And out of all the dogs in the park, he has to go after the French Poodle. Poor dog was so tuckered out I had to lug his ass all the way back to the car and in the house too now."

Vaughn snorted and looked over at the dog, "Way to go buddy."

"Yeah…way to go when you're not the one chasing him. Guess he decided he needed a lil bit of French tail."

Amélie chuckled, "William."

Will smiled, "I'm just telling you the facts as I saw them."

They all looked over to see that Donovan had curled up on the floor, already napping.

"Aww, look at that," Sydney said, "he's all tuckered out." She looked at Vaughn, "Just like you get…"

Vaughn grinned, "Nice. I think I fair a little better."

"Well yeah," Will said, "but you don't have to chase down yours at the park. I think Syd might give up a little easier…"


	86. Chapter 281: Saved By the Bell

**Chapter 281: Saved By the Bell**

_"I think someone should have had the decency to tell me the luncheon was free. To make someone run out with potato salad in his hand, pretending he's throwing up, is not what I call hospitality." – Jack Handy_

"The story of barbecue is the story of America: Settlers arrive on great unspoiled continent, discover wondrous riches, set them on fire and eat them." – Vince Staten

"The author of genius does keep till his last breath the spontaneity, the ready sensitiveness, of a child, the 'innocence of eye' that means so much to the painter, the ability to respond freshly and quickly to new scenes, and to old scenes as though they were new; to see traits and characteristics as though each were new-minted from the hand of God instead of sorting them quickly into dusty categories and pigeon-holing them without wonder or surprise; to feel situations so immediately and keenly that the word 'trite' has hardly any meaning for him; and always to see 'the correspondences between things' of which Aristotle spoke two thousand years ago." – Dorothea Brande

"He who binds to himself a joy, does the winged life destroy: But he who kisses the joy as it flies, lives in eternity's sun rise." – William Blake

* * *

Sydney shot him a look and was about to say something, but the doorbell ringing saved Will from further scrutiny. He got up to answer it and when he opened the door, Jack Bristow was standing on other side, awkwardly holding a container of potato salad. "Hi Will. Salad," he said and then corrected himself, "I mean, I brought the potato salad…Here – take it."

Will took the bowl and chuckled, "Thanks, come on in."

"Hi dad," Sydney said, getting up and going over to her father to give him a hug.

"Hello sweetheart. How are you doing?"

"Good."

"Excellent. Hello Amélie, Michael, Francie," he said, nodding to each of them.

"Hello Jack," Amélie said, "Nice to see you again."

"You as well."

"I suppose we should think about having some sort of lunch…or snack I guess since we'll be eating earlier," Francie said.

"I don't think we should have too much," Amélie said, "or I know I'll never eat anything later."

"Well, let's see what we've got," Francie replied, going to the kitchen. "We could just have cheese and crackers and there's some vegetables in here. I could quick whip up some dip."

"That sounds good," Sydney said.

"Why don't we move outside," Will suggested, "Then I can start to get things set up out there too – extra chairs and stuff like that."

"Good plan," Sydney agreed.

"Jack, you wanna help me with the chairs?" Will asked.

"Sure," Jack replied, following Will out the door.

"Amélie you want to help us carry this out to the yard?" Francie asked.

"Of course," she said getting up, "Michael can you manage by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'll get there eventually," he said smiling.

She nodded and went off to help carry and the carting began. Vaughn stayed out of the way for a few minutes until traffic slowed down and then started to slowly walk out to the patio. Will helped him sit and made sure he was comfortable before he went about the rest of the preparation. He and Jack were just finishing up when Sydney, Amélie and Francie came out with the rest of the snack.

"So who else is coming to the barbeque?" Amélie asked.

Sydney answered as she sat next to Vaughn, "Tom and Kaia and Weiss and his girlfriend and her daughter."

"Oh, that's so nice that Eric found someone."

"Yeah he seems very happy," Sydney said, "So it'll be the first time we're all getting to meet her and her daughter."

"I'm sure she'll be wonderful."

"He told us that he gushes about them like Vaughn gushes about me."

Vaughn grinned bashfully, looking down at the food on his plate.

Amélie smiled, "That's nice to hear."

They continued with small talk until the remnants needed to be cleared; Sydney telling Will he had to do all the cleaning up.

"Why do I have to?" he asked.

"It's either that or you can explain your earlier exposition about a certain dog incident and the post-incident comments to my father…"

"I'd be happy to clean up," Will said happily standing and starting to clear the dishes.

Jack looked strangely at the group, but decided he probably didn't want to know.

When Will came back, Sydney was bringing Jack up to speed on Vaughn's progress. When she finished, the subject changed to a discussion about what final preparations needed to be done.

The house turned into a flurry of activity after that, as everyone set out to make all the last minute arrangements.

They were all too wrapped up in what they were doing that no one heard the car pull up in the driveway or the front door open…

Everyone's attention turned when a voice said, "Hey guys, we knocked…door was open, we just let ourselves in…"

Weiss proudly approached, holding Nicole's hand and carrying Annie in his other. She watched intently, adjusting to the new surroundings and promptly buried her head in Weiss' shoulder when they got within a few feet of Sydney, Vaughn, and a seated Amélie. Jack was talking with Will and Francie near the grill, and Kaia and Tom had yet to arrive.

"Mike…Syd…this is Nicole…and this is Annie," he said gesturing to the girl peeking out from under his chin, "Cole this is Mike and Syd…and over there…well we'll get to them in a few minutes."

"It's very nice to meet you, Eric has said so much about you, I feel like I already know you," Nicole said with a smile.

"I'm sure it's all lies," Vaughn said with a grin, eyeing Eric.

"Annie can you say 'hi?'" Weiss asked the curly, blacked-haired child.

She shook her head 'no' and buried her head in the crook of Eric's neck again.

Weiss chuckled. "She's a little shy," Nicole added.

Sydney smiled, "She's adorable…well what I can see of her is," Sydney added with a smile.

"Hey…Annabanana…" Weiss said to the crook.

She looked up at him with a smile.

"Do you have any pets?" he asked.

This statement seemed to set her off. She nodded.

"Will you tell Mike and Syd what pets you have?" he asked and she nodded. He smiled and set her down on the lawn.

She looked at her mother and then at Sydney and Vaughn. "My name is Annabella…but you can call me Annie…but you can't call me what Eric just did…I'm only Annabanana to him…ok?" she instructed.

Vaughn smiled, "I think we got it…now did you say you had pets?"  


Annie nodded, "Uh huh…I gots three fishies…"

"Goldfish?" Vaughn asked.

Annie turned to him and shook her head patiently, "NO. They are NOT goldfish. They are Rosy Red Minnows…and dere's a difference ya know…"

Vaughn snickered, "I see…and do your Rosy Red Minnows that are not goldfish have names?"

She nodded again, "Uh huh…I gots Thadeus Toby and Fruitcake Toby and Angel Toby."

Sydney giggled, remembering Eric's story about the name 'Toby,' "They all have the same middle name?" she asked as if she didn't know the answer.

"Yep, they's all Toby for dere middle names…my middle name isn't Toby though…it's Laurel Cecelia…Annabella Laurel Cecilia Jamison…case ya wondered…"

Sydney asked, "Why Toby? Why that name?"

Annie shook her head patiently and sighed, "Accause that's my bear…he's Toby the Teddy…mommy gots him for me…he's my favoritest bear that I gots at home."

Weiss smiled, "Are you SURE that's your favorite Teddy?"

Annie giggled, "Well cept for Eric," she said with a jerk of her thumb in his direction, "he's the bestest bear…I love to cuddle and color and he's a really good cuddler and he's not bad at da coloring eifer." She continued non-stop, "I'm potty trained too…did ya know dat?"

Vaughn smiled at her, "No we didn't know that…you're a very smart little girl."

"I know…people tell me dat lots…you gots any fishies?" she asked with big violet eyes.

Vaughn laughed, "No we don't have any fishes, but I have a dog…you wanna meet him?"

"Oooooh yeah!" she squealed, "Is his name Toby?"

Vaughn smiled, "No his name is Donovan…"

"Hmm…I like Toby better…can I call him Toby?"

Vaughn laughed again, "You can try…but he'll probably only stare at you and drool. His real name might be better if you want him to do anything."

Annie seemed to contemplate this information, "Well…ok…I guess I can call him…what was his name again?"

"Donovan…you can call him Donnie if you like that better."

"Yeah Donnie is better…sounds more like Toby…they both end da same den…where is he?" Annie asked, looking around the yard.

"He's probably inside…" Vaughn said. "Why don't you try to go find him?"

Annie looked at him and then her mother who nodded. She looked back at Vaughn, "What was your name again?"

Vaughn smiled, "My name is Michael…you can call me that…or Mike…whichever you want."

"Are you gonna show me where I can find Donnie?"

His smile was less radiant, "No honey…I think you'll have to look yourself or Eric can show you…I don't get around too well yet."

"Accause why?"

"Well…I got lots of owies while I was at work, so I'm home now…getting better…" Vaughn explained.

"Did you fall offa your bike? I can't fall offa mine…accause it's got trainers…"

Vaughn smiled, looking at Sydney, "No, I didn't fall off of my bike. Uhm," he struggled to explain, "do you know what a bully is Annie?"

Annie thought a minute, "Yeah, I fink I do…der bad kids…mean…when I used ta go ta the daycare afore we moved into our new house, I went to a daycare and Christian…he was mean…pushed the lil kids."

"Yeah, that's right. Well…the same thing kind of happened to me…a bully, but a bigger one, an adult was mean to me…and I got hurt."

Sydney smiled at the exchange between Vaughn and the little girl, marveling at not only how easy this all seemed, how natural, but how he made his situation easy for her to understand. She shared a knowing look with Weiss, who was watching the whole scene with a vast amount of amusement.

Annie's eyes got wide, "He pushed you?" she asked in an astonished voice. She didn't wait for an answer, "Did he get in trouble? Cause at daycare he'd get in a lots a trouble…"

Vaughn smiled, "He didn't really get in trouble…at least not yet…"

"That's bad…"

"Yeah," Vaughn agreed.

"So you can't come inside wif me? To find Donnie?"

"I could…but it'd take me a long time…"

"I can walk reallllllly slow," Annie said with a sympathetic look in her eyes.

Vaughn laughed, "Ok…let's go look for Donnie…" He looked to Sydney for help getting up, and she extended her arm, giving him the help and leverage that he needed.

Annie watched the whole process with interest and then ran over to Weiss and pulled on his sleeve. He bent down and she whispered something in his ear. He picked her up and walked over to Vaughn. Vaughn looked at the little girl with a questioning look, but all question was gone when she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Vaughn smiled and blushed, "Thank you Annie."

Annie smiled proudly, "Whenever I gets an ouchie…mommy gives me a kiss and it makes it all better…did that help?"

Vaughn flushed and gave her a kiss back, "Yes it did Annie…thank you…I feel much better."

"Ok good…" Annie said, squirming out of Weiss' arms and waiting patiently for Vaughn to start walking to the house.


	87. Chapter 282: As It Should Be…

**Chapter 282: As It Should Be…**

_"A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child." – Knights of Pythagoras_

"Children are unpredictable. You never know what inconsistency they're going to catch you in next." – Franklin P. Jones

"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back." – William D. Tammeus

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle." – Thich Nhat Hanh

* * *

Vaughn smiled appreciatively and she stuck out her little hand towards his. He touched the back of her head momentarily before she grabbed onto two of his fingers. The two then started very slowly towards the house, Annie watching his steps with a fierce determination so she wouldn't get ahead of him. She was careful not to pull on his arm too much as well. "You're doin really good Mictoby…"

Vaughn actually stopped, "Did you just call me Mictoby?"

"Yes," Annie replied, looking up at him, "Accause I like it…I like Toby…member?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Vaughn chuckled, "Yes, I remember…I'm very honored…just thought I'd make sure…if you start calling Donovan 'McDonnie' I think he might get scared we're gonna eat him…"

"Accause of McDonald's?" Annie asked.

"Yeah…you are a smart one, aren't ya?"

"That's what they tell me…" Annie said shaking her head as though it was a burden.

Vaughn smiled, "I like my name…"

Annie beamed back at him, "Good…accause ya know…even Eric isn't Ertoby…" she said quietly, so Weiss wouldn't hear.

"I know…" Vaughn said with a dimpled smile.

Sydney watched as the two made it into the house, disappearing inside the cooler environment. She turned back to Weiss and Nicole. "She is too darling…such a cutie pie…and it seems that she now has Vaughn wrapped around her finger."

Nicole smiled, "She has a way of doing that yes."

"Why don't we introduce you to everyone else."

"Sounds great."

Sydney made her way with the couple around the rest of the people present, introducing Nicole and trying to make her feel comfortable. Her father in particular seemed very interested in the new developments in law making and law practice. She smiled and excused herself momentarily, in search of Vaughn and his new friend. She quietly padded into the house and down the hall, peeking to see if they were in the living room, but there was no sign of Vaughn or Annie. She peeked around the corner of the patio doors and looked left towards their bedroom, and sure enough, she saw little pink socks covered by black patent-leather shoes visibly sticking out into her line of vision. She craned her neck to hear their conversation.

"He's a nice doggie Mictoby…" Annie said, petting a very happy Donovan.

"Yeah, he's been a great friend," Vaughn replied, nodding, from his position sitting on the bed.

"My fishies are fun…but I can't play wif em like I can play wif Donnie…does he go outside?"

"Sure he does…"

"Will he play wif me outside?"

"I'm sure he will. If you ask Will, I'm sure he'll get you a ball too…Donnie loves to play fetch…"

"He'll get da ball after I frow it to him?"

"Yep, and he'll bring it right back…might be a little slobbery…"

"Dat's ok…"

Vaughn watch with an amused interest as Annie talked to Donovan, a child's innocence so pure, their honesty so rare in an untruthful world.

Annie looked up at him, "Who's Will?"

"Will is our friend…he lives here too…"

Annie thought for a minute, "Will you be my boyfriend Mictoby?"

Vaughn smiled, "I'd love to be your boyfriend honey, but I'm already somebody's boyfriend…"

"Can you have two?"

He laughed, "That usually doesn't work out too well…I can be your friend," he tried.

She pouted for a minute, "Who's your girlfriend? Accause I wanted Eric to be my boyfriend, but he's got mommy…"

"Sydney is my girlfriend."

"She's a pretty lady."

"Yes, she's very pretty. I love her very much."

"Well I guess I can let her have you den…" Annie said after careful deliberation. "Know anyone else who'd be my boyfriend? What 'bout that Will guy you was talkin 'bout. Is he nice like you?"

Vaughn smiled, "Yes, he's very nice Annie, but he has a girlfriend too…"

"Humpf…well den who's gonna be MY boyfriend?" Annie asked slightly defeated.

"You've got plenty of time for boyfriends honey…maybe you should wait for the right one…"

"I guess…maybe…can we go back outside now?"

"Sure…"

"Do ya need help?" Annie asked, her youthful exuberant willingness to help completely endearing.

Vaughn smiled, knowing full well that she probably couldn't have picked up his arm alone, yet her age provided her with a fearless sense of determination, a will that even the most well intentioned adults did not possess. "I think I can get up on my own…I might need to hang onto you for a minute though…"

"Ok," Annie said, eagerly standing up and awaiting his ascent.

Sydney was going to intervene, but decided to wait and watch when Vaughn got himself to a standing position and Annie fell in step beside him, offering him her hand for balance. She was convinced the pair would topple over, but the small body was enough for Vaughn to stabilize and he smiled at her when he was ready to move. She very proudly took his two fingers again, happy that she had aided him and they started to walk out of the bedroom, Donovan trotting happily in front of them, his tongue lolling and his head looking back every once in a while to watch their progress. He never trotted too far ahead, always stopping and letting them catch up, used to this routine with his injured master.

Sydney walked back outside so Vaughn wouldn't think she was checking up on him, despite the fact that she was. She fell into conversation with Amélie while waiting for Vaughn and Annie to reemerge from the house. When they did, Sydney was hit with a vision of what things would be like in the future, watching Vaughn emerge from a house, walking outside with their son or daughter, carefully hanging onto their tiny hand so they didn't stumble on their way out. All her conversational skills stopped, fixated instead on the man she loved and the way he interacted with this beautiful child. That's what he was…beautiful. She couldn't think of another word to describe the unfolding site in front of her.

Vaughn looked up towards the crowd of people, all of which were standing slightly away from the grill as Will kept a close eye on the coals. He caught Sydney's eyes watching him, finding her much as he always did. He could have located her in the middle of the largest crowd like a moth to the flame. It was like they had a connection so deep that neither time nor relevant space could ever keep them apart, eternally, celestially linked, two souls destined for completeness in the other, consummation, totality. Her eyes spoke volumes to him, her deep chocolate brown eyes boring into his spirit, making it soar…he felt as though he was floating high above the world of the backyard, high above all the others gathered on the pleasing green grass. High above where Sydney's soul resided and mingled with his own. Her smile 

shone brightly; more incandescent than the blazing daystar above them.

They shared a smile, a look, a glance, a gleam before the little girl gently demanded his attention. She asked him something and Vaughn pointed to the crowd, saying something in reply. She left him then to walk the rest of the short distance by himself, and marched over to Will.

She stepped in front of him, "'Scuse me…you Will?"

Will smiled, "Yes, I am…and you must be Annie."

"Yeah, Annie – dat's me," she said pointing to her chest, "Mictoby says you gots a ball for Donnie to play wif…"

Will looked over at Vaughn, guessing he was 'Mictoby,' and laughed, "Sure sweetie, I can get you a ball…" he walked off and returned with a tennis ball, "There ya go…"

"Fank you," Annie said, snatching the ball and running back to Vaughn who was almost to his chair. "I gots da ball from Will. Should I frow it to Donnie?"

Vaughn nodded, smiling at her, "Yup, just throw it, he'll chase it."

Annie grinned, then giggled and gleefully threw the ball across the yard. Donovan took off at a mad dash and grabbed the ball, trotting back to Annie with it in his mouth. He dropped it at her feet and she giddily picked it up and threw it again, squealing and smiling at Vaughn.

Sydney meandered over to Vaughn's chair, "Hey there, Mictoby."

He snickered, "Yeah, I got Toby in my name…and I was also offered a really sweet deal to be Annie's boyfriend…"

Sydney smiled, running her hand through his hair, "Were you thinking what I was thinking?" she asked.

Vaughn grinned and nodded, "Yeah I think so…"

"You looked beautiful with her…I couldn't decide who was more adorable, you or Annie."

Vaughn blushed, "Our kids will be beautiful…Annie's a sweetheart…"

"She likes you…kids can tell you know…"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah…she's great."

Sydney watched the little girl run haphazardly around the yard, squealing after the dog and having the biggest time throwing the tennis ball. She looked over at the group by the grill and watched them all talking in their deformed circle. Will and Francie smiling and making eyes at each other while Will flipped hamburgers and turned hot dogs and brats. Weiss and Nicole, standing like she and Vaughn did, almost no space between them, arms locked around one another, leaning…Her father, standing steadfast and straight, yet warmer than she had ever remembered him, like the dad of the whole group…just grilling with his family. It was odd how easily he seemed to slip into the role of patriarch, with Amélie assuming 

the matriarchal role. She loved her son, it was visible, tangible every time she looked at him, but she had taken Sydney as her own and had adopted Will and Francie as just part of the family. Things were as they should be…family…friends…children…


	88. Chapter 283: Willa Poo and Tombelina Too

**Chapter 283: Willa Poo and Tombelina Too!**

_"Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them." – Antoine de Saint-Exupery_

"You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers." – John J. Plomp

"Level with your child by being honest. Nobody spots a phony quicker than a child." – Mary MacCracken

"Outings are so much more fun when we can savor them through the children's eyes." – Lawana Blackwell

"In early childhood you may lay the foundation of poverty or riches, industry or idleness, good or evil, by the habits to which you train your children. Teach them right habits then, and their future life is safe." – Lydia Sigourney

* * *

"Hey you started the party without us!" Tom yelled, Kaia at his side as they just stepped out onto the patio.

Kaia went straight to the grill, handing Francie their dish to pass and Tom went straight for Vaughn.

"Hey – how's the shoulder?" Tom asked with a smile and watched as Annie zoomed past, "and who's the rugrat?"

Vaughn chuckled, "It's ok…it's sore, but it's only been out of the sling for like a day and the rugrat is Annie…Weiss' girlfriend's daughter. Go meet her…" Vaughn said with a smile.

Tom nodded and went over to introduce himself and Kaia to the new addition.

Annie stopped by Vaughn and eyed the group by the grill, "Who's dat?" she asked, pointing to Tom and Kaia.

"That's Tom and Kaia…they're our friends too…you wanna say 'hi?'"

Annie thought a minute and then looked at Vaughn with a hopeful look, "Tom be my boyfriend?"

Vaughn shook his head, "Sadly, Tom is also taken…"

Annie stomped her foot and marched over to the group.

"Hey Baby Bella," Nicole said as Annie stopped, her arms mid-swing in the middle of the group.

"Ok," she started, "now I've been thinkin…mommy – you gots Eric…and Mictoby has Syd…and Mictoby telled me that Will has Francie…I want a boyfriend too!" she yelled. Finally, it seemed a light bulb went off in her head and she walked over and stood in front of Jack, her head craning to look up at him, "Hey…who're you?" She looked over at Amélie, "and you too!"

Amélie smiled, "Why I'm Michael's mother…"

"And I'm Sydney's father," Jack added.

Annie squinted her violet eyes in deep thought, "I suppose you two are together too den, huh?"

Jack chuckled as Amélie explained, "No my dear, Jack and I are not together…"

Annie grinned widely, "Good!" She ran over to Jack and hugged his legs, "Den YOU can be my boyfriend!"

Jack looked positively bewildered, not having a clue as what to do with the little girl who had attached herself to his legs. "Uh…I…well…Annie…I mean…I'm…I…uh…I'm a little…old for you…I could be your grandfather…"

"Dat's OK!" Annie said happily, her smile showing a wide set of brilliant white teeth. "Grandpa boyfriends are just as good!"

Jack looked unsurely at the group, a response not readily forming in his mind.

"We can play dollies together…and we can have tea parties…and we can play dress up and house…and…do you like pink?" she asked, "Accause that's Eric's favorite color too and Princess Pink is da color of my room. I picked it out all by myself!"

Vaughn and Sydney were snickering and on the verge of tears over by the table and chairs. The rest of the group was just about as well composed.

Jack smiled, "That's very nice Annie…"

"Yeah…and we can play wif my fishies…did I tell you about my fishies? Accause…well…we can't really play wif em…cause they'd die wifout dere water…but we can watch dem swim around. Tad Toby…he's da smartest one…he swims around and around and around," Annie demonstrated by letting go of Jack's legs and spinning around in a fish-in-a-bowl manner before falling down from dizziness. "He does dat…"

"Uh huh…that's…a very smart fish Annie…"

Weiss was hanging onto the back of a chair for leverage, near making a run for the bathroom before he made a very embarrassing mess in the yard.

Jack scrambled for an answer. He bent down and Annie flung herself at him, her arms around his neck, "Now Annie…I think you might want to consider someone your own age…aren't you still in the stage where boys are icky?"

"Boys ARE icky…but not dese guys…dere nice and don't have cooties like the little boys I know…I want a big boy…" Annie explained.

"I see…well that's very mature of you…but I think you should wait until you're a little older…and you really have to find someone younger Annie. I'd love to be your friend, but I don't think it's entirely appropriate for us to be in a romantic relationship…do you understand?"

Annie looked down, "Yeah…dat's what Mictoby said too…I know…everyone else has a boyfriend…I want one too…"

"But you don't need a boyfriend when you've got a nice grandpa and grandma figure…a great mother and Eric…and friends…I'm sure all the boys here will be your friend Annie…"

Will nodded and Tom smiled and Vaughn winked at her from across the yard.

Annie smiled, "I guess I can live with dat…" she said nodding. She looked at Will, "Will you be my pony if you won't be my boyfriend?"

Will chuckled, "Yeah, I'll be your pony when we're done eating, ok? I'm the grill man you see…but I bet," he leaned down whispering, "I bet Tom will be your pony until I'm ready…"

Annie grinned and ran off towards Tom, "Will you be my subbustooty till Will dere is done wif dinner?"

Tom smiled, "Subbustooty at what shnickerdoodle?"

Annie giggled at the new pet name she just gained, "To be my pony of course," she said somewhat annoyed that he didn't already know.

Tom scrunched his features as though he was considering her request, "Hmm…what kind of pony am I? Cause if I'm one of those my little pony tails…all bets are off honey-dumpling."

"No…you can be…one of dose…minichair ones…like dey have at da circuses…"

Tom laughed, "Ok puppyface…climb on," he said, getting down on all fours.

"GIDDY UP!" Annie screamed, hanging on to Tom's collar, "COME ON TOMBELINA! GOOOOOOOO!"

Tom was laughing so hard; he was having a hard time keeping Annie upright on his back. He managed to keep her on and give her a rather lengthy ride despite her cries for 'Tombelina' to go faster.

Tom was very glad when Will made the dinner call. He snatched Annie up and held her upside down while he walked over to the table. "Anybody lose this?" he asked.

Annie giggled and screamed, "Mommy! Make Tombelina put me down!"

Tom chuckled and sat her down, letting her run off to sit on Nicole's lap to eat. "Mommy? How come dere's no pizza?"

Nicole chuckled, "Because this is a barbeque honey…not a pizza party…"

"But I like pizza with lots of nonni's!" Annie whined.

Weiss looked at her, "Hey…who wants pepperoni pizza when you can have a HOT DOG!" he said, presenting her with her hot dog on a plate.

"Hod dod!" Annie squealed, "but where's da keffup?"

Weiss squirted a line on the hot dog, "More!" Annie said. "More!" she said again, until the hot dog was covered in ketchup. Then she proceeded to eat it, ketchup and all.

"My kinda girl," Vaughn said with a smile.

Francie started giggling, nudging Will.

"What?"

"Hot dog?"

Will rolled his eyes, "Thank you…I had all but forgotten…and I so can't eat this brat now…I gotta get a burger," he said, getting up to replace his dinner.

He sat back down again, glaring at Francie and sharing his disgust with Sydney and Vaughn as well.

Annie gulped her food, continuously looking at Will, watching for when he'd be done. Finally, the waiting got the best of her, "Are ya done yet?" she asked, her big violet eyes pleading with him.

Will smiled, "Give me a few minutes just to let the food settle so pony Will doesn't throw up all over the yard, ok?"

Annie ran back over to her mother, "OK!" She turned back to him, "Are hod dod's your favorite too?"

Will groaned, "Oh man…I used to LOVE hot dogs Annie," he said throwing evil glances at Francie and Sydney and Vaughn, "But unfortunately, someone played a joke on me and now I just can't eat them anymore…"

"Aww…dat's too bad…"

"Yeah…"

Annie waited impatiently for the next few minutes until Will stood up, "Ok Annie, come on…"

Annie pulled out of her mother's grasp and jumped over to Will, "OK! LET'S GO!" she jumped on his back and roared, "WILLA POO TO THE RESCUE!!"

Francie fell off of her chair laughing as Will started to take her around the yard.

"FREE WILLY!" She screamed on another turn.

Will yelled, "I told you I was overwhelmed and fat!"

Francie yelled back, "GO WILLA POO!!"

"YEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Annie screamed at the top of her lungs as Will made another turn, Donovan trotting beside them.

When Willa Poo had all he could take, he let Annie off his back. She, however, was still rearing to go, having not just ran around the yard on all fours. She ran over to where Jack and Amélie were sitting and smiled her most charming of smiles, "What was your names again Gramma lady and Granpa man?"

Amélie smiled, "I'm Amélie," she said enunciating.

"Am-A-Lee…" Annie repeated.

"Jack," Jack said with a smile.

"Granpa Jack," Annie whined, "Will you be my pony too?" she asked, blinking her long, dark lashes at him.

Amélie snorted from her seat, knowing it was only a matter of time before Jack caved, "Oh go on Jack…give the girl a few times around the yard."

"Oh…Annie…I think I'm a little too…old…"

"Never! Accause your name is Jack! Jack be nipple…Jack be pick…Jack jump over da canfle stick!"

The whole party nearly choked at Annie's version of the nursery rhyme while Jack only chuckled, obviously amused and enamored with the sweet little girl, "Only if we go slow…and no names for me…ok Annie?"

"Ok Granpa Jack…" Annie said smiling, climbing on her next…victim as Jack went slowly around the yard, "You're my trotting pony!" she squealed, lying down on his back.

Sydney's mouth was near the ground as she watched her father 'trotting' around the yard with the little girl on his back. Vaughn was laughing at the sight, smiling at her, and she found herself beaming when she finally closed her mouth, happy that her father was being…so father-like. Vaughn was talking with his mother, Weiss, and Tom and Kaia, while Will and Francie were taking the dishes in the house.

Sydney took the opportunity to seek out Nicole…


	89. Chapter 284: Marshmallow Mommy

**Chapter 284: Marshmallow Mommy**

_"D'you call life a bad job? Never! We've had our ups and downs, we've had our struggles, we've always been poor, but it's been worth it, ay, worth it a hundred times I say when I look round at my children." – W. Somerset Maugham_

"When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable." – Madeleine L'Engle

"Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society." – Benjamin Franklin

"Children are the only form of immortality that we can be sure of." – Peter Ustinov

* * *

"So are you having a good time?" Sydney asked.

"Yeah, this is all great…Annie and I aren't used to these great get together's – it's always been just her and I…thank you for inviting us…we're both having a great time…Annie loves the attention…"

"You're welcome here anytime…Eric told us about how he met you…about…well…your…ex…I just wanted you to know that if you ever needed anything…Vaughn and I would be there too…all you have to do is call."

Nicole smiled, "That's very nice of you…thank you…"

"I hope you don't think I'm intruding…or are upset that Eric told us…"

"No, not at all…I'm proud of every line I've earned…I wouldn't have changed things…nothing…Frank is an asshole…but I got the best part…she's right there," Nicole said pointing to Annie, "and that I wouldn't trade for anything."

Sydney smiled, "I understand completely…" The two looked adoringly at the scenes in front of them for a few minutes before Sydney added, "Eric seems really happy and he's great with Annie."

"Yeah he is. I'm very happy too. He's a great guy."

"Yes, he is. He's been a great friend to Vaughn and to me as well."

Nicole smiled, "Eric thinks the world of Michael."

Sydney smiled back at her, "That's nice to hear, and the feeling is mutual, they've been friends for a long time."

"How long have you and Michael been together?"

Sydney smiled, "Well…we've been a couple…well a romantic couple for like seven months…but we've known each other for almost two years…worked together."

"Right, yeah Eric mentioned that. I mean he can't tell me everything, but he tells me enough."

Sydney smirked, "He has a way of doing that yes."

Nicole looked at her a moment, as if she was weighing whether or not to ask her next question, "Eric

didn't tell me a lot about what happened to Michael…I think it's a hard subject for him…"

Sydney looked over at her, "Yeah, it's not an easy one."

"At first he just said he was watching his friend's dog…but I mean as we got to know each other better, I could tell it was much more than just watching a dog…I mean that dog was like Eric's lifeline. Like he was holding onto Michael because he had the dog."

Sydney smiled, "He talks tough, but he's a big softy."

"Yeah, Annie figured that out really quick."

Sydney chuckled, "It's nice to know he was worried."

"He was…very…he really doesn't talk about it much though…"

"No, it's not a subject we bring up a lot…" Sydney looked over at her, "Our job isn't always a pleasant one…things happen…" she looked away, looking back at Vaughn, "You'd think that working for the government you'd have a fair amount of control, but the truth is, you have no more than anyone else and at certain times, you have less, because you're put into situations where control isn't even an option."

"Was Michael hurt in the field?"

Sydney looked at Vaughn again, "Not exactly." She looked down and then at Nicole again, "Eric didn't tell you anything about it really, did he? Just that Vaughn got hurt?"

"Pretty much…like I said, it's not a topic that he likes to talk about…and I didn't ask."

Sydney watched Annie crawl off of her father's back and walk back over to Vaughn's chair, climbing on his lap and marking her territory. She smiled widely at him to get his attention, which she already had and then began to take the spotlight off of the adults' conversation and back on her, "My ponies got all wored out…"

"He was taken and tortured…" Sydney said quietly.

Nicole's eyes flew to Sydney's face, her look one of horror and shock.

Sydney smiled softly and nodded, "I think that's why Eric doesn't talk about it…Vaughn doesn't either…not really…he does in therapy and with me sometimes, but his general conversation does not revolve around what happened to him there…"

"Yeah I can understand not wanting to talk about something like that…" She shook her head, "Is he gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, eventually he will."

Nicole thought a moment, "How long has it been?"

"Tomorrow will be the start of his seventh week."

"Wow…and how long will it be before he's fully recovered?"

"The original estimate was fourteen."

"Is he in a lot of pain?"

"Sometimes. It's gotten much better, but in the beginning yes."

"Oh god," she said suddenly, "Should I get Annie away from him? Is she hurting him? Crawling all over him like that?"

Sydney smiled, "No, no, it's fine. He's ok…she's not hurting him," she assured her.

"Ok…well if you think she is, or if she's being too rough…let me know, I'll get her out of there."

"No it's fine, he's enjoying it."

"He seems wonderful with children."

"Yes," Sydney said with a bemused and dreamy look on her face, "he seems to be…"

"It must be so hard…" Nicole said after thinking a few moments.

"What is that?" Sydney asked, turning her attention back to Nicole.

"Him being in all that pain and you being with him…I can't imagine having to watch someone you love go through that."

"Yeah, I think that's been the worst part…not knowing what to do, if it's the right thing…constant worrying…second guessing. We did a lot of that," Sydney said with a nod.

"I believe that…"

"It's funny though, people say that to me…that it must be hard to be there with him all the time, to have to take care of him…but I don't see it that way. We've had such a wonderful opportunity to get so much closer. We've talked about it before too – that if we had to do it all over again, we wouldn't change it. I wouldn't trade the time we've had together now, it's changed everything…in a good way."

"Yeah…children are like that too…people tell you it's going to be this big chore, it's work to have kids…but really – the work you put in, it doesn't compare with the rewards you get out of it."

Suddenly, Annie came running over to her mother, "Mommy! Mommy! Guess what?"

"What Baby Bella?"

"We're gonna roast mars-sellows," she said enunciating, "over da black thing dat's hot! Ya know…dos lil white pillows!" Annie explained, making a little motion in the air, "Mictoby said so!"

Sydney and Nicole chuckled. "Well if Mictoby said so, then you're in luck," Sydney said with a smile.

"He said I can hold da stick fing too!" she said excitedly, running back over to Vaughn.

Will handed Annie a long pronged fork that could extend into the grill and lifted her up so she could see the coals. "Ok Annie, now you have to be really careful so you don't get burned. These are hot, they don't look hot, but they can burn you. And you have to be careful that your marshmallow doesn't touch the coals or you're gonna get it all black. There's a system to this you see, an expert way to roast a marshmallow perfectly."

Annie listened intently and Will took her hand and moved it over the coals, "Ok, now we watch for it to get brown, and then we turn it…"

Silence reigned as everyone waited for them to turn out the first marshmallow of the evening. Annie

squealed when Will set her down and she ran to her mother, "Mommy! It's done!"

Nicole took the marshmallow off of the fork and blew on it until it was cooler, then Annie grabbed it and stuffed the whole thing in her mouth. "Mmm…moffy…if's foof…"

Everyone chuckled while they watched the youngster tackle the soft marshmallow, white fluff coating her whole mouth. When her mouth was clear enough, she looked at Will, "Can I haf anoder one?"

Will smiled, "Sure, we'll roast another…"

She ran over and they repeated the process until she had made several marshmallows for everyone present, Annie having mastered the art of the perfect marshmallow at the tender age of three.


	90. Chapter 285: You’re It!

**Chapter 285: You're It!**

_"What you have when everyone wears the same play clothes for all occasions, is addressed by nickname, expected to participate in Show And Tell, and bullied out of any desire form privacy, is not democracy; it is kindergarten." – Judith Martin_

"A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine." – Anonymous

"Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said." – Unknown

"Children are born true scientists. They spontaneously experiment and experience and reexperience again. They select, combine, and test, seeking to find order in their experiences – 'which is the mostest? which is the leastest?' They smell, taste, bite, and touch-test for hardness, softness, springiness, roughness, smoothness, coldness, warmness: the heft, shake, punch, squeeze, push, crush, rub, and try to pull things apart." – R. Buckminster Fuller

* * *

By the time the great marshmallow affair was over, the sun had started to set and night was falling upon the group. Will asked Tom to accompany him to the garage and the pair returned with the lawn torches for the yard. Annie was enthralled and entranced by the giant matchsticks, burning brightly, making this night seem all the more enchanting and fairy tale-like. Not only had she gotten ponies and marshmallows, but also now torches lit up the whole yard like flittering lightening bugs bottled high in the sky.

She allowed the grownups to talk amongst themselves for a while as she investigated the torches and followed and ran along with the dimming shadows they cast on the lawn. Eventually, however, she grew tired of their talk of times past and stories of the antics of college and life. It was time to play…

"Can we play somefin?" she asked her mother as she climbed into her lap.

Nicole smiled, "What would you like to play?"

"Uhm…"

"We could play flashlight tag!" Tom said excitedly.

Kaia shook her head, "This is my fiancé…"

Annie giggled with glee, "YES! Let's play flash…tag!" She looked at Tom, "How do we play dis tag Tombelina?"

Tom laughed, "Well, it's very simple. Someone is it…and they have a flashlight. And we play it in the dark. And the person who's it, if they shine the flashlight on you, then you're it…"

"OOOOH can I be it!? Can I?! Can I?! Can we play?" Annie asked, her little body shaking with exuberant exhilaration.

Tom nodded, "I'll play with you…now we just gotta convince the rest of these people sugar plum," he winked and jerked his thumb at the rest of the crowd.

"Will you play wif us Mictoby?" Annie asked Vaughn, her eyes wide and endearing.

Vaughn smiled, "I think I'm gonna have to sit this one out honey…"

"Awww…" Annie whined.

Tom came over and knelt down on one knee, "Silly…Mictoby can be it!" he said with a smile, "Will? Do you have a flashlight?"

"Yeah, I can find one…" Will said, running off in the house.

"YAY!" Annie exclaimed, "Now you can play Mictoby!"

Vaughn chuckled, "Sounds good."

"Ok," Annie said, turning into recruiter mode, "Now…da rest of ya are gonna play right?" she asked, her little hands on her hips, "Accause we needs lots of people…"

Francie smiled, "Sure, why not."

"I'm in," Kaia replied.

"Mommy?" Annie asked, but it was more of an affirmative statement, "and Eric too…" They both nodded in agreement.

"I'll play," Sydney agreed.

"Ok…good…Willa Poo, you're gonna play right?" Annie asked when Will returned with the flashlight and handing it to Tom, who promptly turned it over to Vaughn.

"Sure, I'll play."

"Good," Annie said, "Now that just leaves Granpa Jack and Gramma Amélie…"

Jack looked at Amélie, "Well…I think we'll have to…"

"Oh why not," Amélie agreed.

Everyone got up and stood in a circle around Vaughn as Tom went over the rules, "Ok…we'll do it slightly differently…if Mike hits ya with the flashlight beam, you're out…that'll work."

Vaughn nodded.

"Ok…before we start…" Annie added, "Da rest of ya need names…accause you gots to…" she explained. She stood in front of her mother, "Hmm…"

"Hot mama…" Weiss offered with a wink and a smile.

"Perfect," Annie agreed.

Nicole laughed, "Oh that's lovely."

Annie moved to Eric, "Mmm…Papa Bear, dat will do."

Weiss smirked, "I can handle that one…"

Annie moved on to Sydney, "Squid," she said simply.

Vaughn snorted, "Why 'Squid?'"

Annie looked at him like he was insane, "Well of course it's accause it's a fish…duh…and just like you're named after Toby…she's gonna be a fish too…I love fish…" she said simply.

Sydney shook her head, "Well…I guess…thank you?"

Annie smiled, "Welcome." She moved on to Kaia, "Hmm…"

Tom broke in, "Annie Pumpkin, she has to be 'the Queen.' She answers to no other name."

Annie shrugged, "Ok Tombelina, 'da Queen' it is…"

As she moved on to her last victim, Kaia whispered, "Aww…I'm lovin' you like a two dollar whore Tom…"

Tom smirked, "Have to protect my queen…"

Annie stood in front of Francie for a moment, "Hmm…dis is a tough one…" She skewed her mouth several times, "I fink…accause you're Willa Poo's…we'll call you Missy Poo…like when I had ta call da teacher's at daycare 'missus.'"

Francie snorted, "Oh Lord…"

Will grinned, "You sure you don't mean 'Meanie Missy Poo?'"

Annie looked at him, "Uh…no…"

"Or 'Pissy Meanie Poo,'" he added under his breath to Francie.

Weiss laughed, "That's good…"

Annie turned back as Francie gave him the evil eye, "You watch it or your wiener's gonna be the one being roasted on a stick with those marshmallows. I listened to your expert advice." She turned to Sydney, "Looks like Mr. Poo here will be on the couch again tonight…no little poo's in your immediate future…no making poo…no horizontal poo-ing…"

Vaughn was half toppled over in laughter as Francie went on.

Annie looked at the adults in a confused state. Finally she looked at Will, "You gots problems pooing?"

This just caused everyone else to burst out laughing and Vaughn to half fall off the chair.

Will threw up his arms in the air, "Oh dear LORD can we just play already!?"

Annie shrugged, "Sure…let's play Willa Poo…"

"Thank you…now come on!" he said, shooing everyone out into the yard as he started to extinguish the torches.

"Annie!" Vaughn called.

The little girl doubled back and came to his side. He curled his finger at her to make her lean over, "You hide behind my chair…so then you won't get hit by the beam…then you can be it next time…ok?" he asked with a wink.

She gave him a thumbs up, "Great idea Mictoby!" she giggled and hid, holding her little hand over her mouth as she waited for everyone else to get tagged by the light. When Vaughn asked if everyone was ready, she poked her head out to watch.

"GO!" Vaughn yelled, shining the light over the yard.

Unintelligible forms scurried all over the yard like mice in a maze, giggling and running in all directions like adolescent children. Vaughn smirked as he closed his eyes and listened for where movement was coming from. He turned his head to the left and heard a rustle of leaves, someone obviously getting tangled in a bush by the fence. He chuckled and opened his eyes, aiming the flashlight in the direction he sensed the movement. "You're toast Eric," he said.

"It's PAPA BEAR!" Annie said impatiently from her perch behind the chair.

"Sorry…Papa Bear, you're out."

"Aww man!" Weiss said, stomping off, "How did you find me?"

Vaughn smiled and shone the flashlight over to the right, just in time to see Tom make a diving leap across the lawn, almost like a slow motion baseball player diving to catch a low flying ball. Vaughn of course, nailed him with the flashlight beam the moment his body hit the earth with a thud.

"Ooof…" Tom said before holding up his hand to block the beam of light, "I think I might have inhaled some grass on that one…" he said, getting up.

"Oh…looks like…TOMBELINA's out!" Vaughn said happily, moving the light over to the middle of the lawn, "And Fran–" he stopped, whispering to Annie, "What's Francie's code name again?"

"Missy Poo!" Annie whispered back loudly.

"Missy Poo is out too!" Vaughn snorted, "Hey that rhymed…"

Jack narrowly missed getting hit by Vaughn next as he spun the light over to where Eric had been,

"Ooooh," Vaughn said, "That was close…not very stealthy there Jack…"

"Granpa Jack!" Annie said loudly.

"What?" Jack replied, turning at the sound of Annie calling him.

It was that fatal mistake that caught him in Vaughn's beam of light. Jack sighed and Vaughn shook his head, "Oh you're getting soft…"

Jack took a deep breath, "It was a child's plea…"

Vaughn chuckled, "Yeah right…" He scanned the yard for more occupants, knowing that his mother, Sydney, Kaia, Nicole and Will were still somewhere in the yard. The rest of the 'out' crowd were talking over by the patio, "Shhhhh…" Vaughn said, holding up his hand. They stopped talking all with smirks on their faces. Vaughn closed his eyes again, breathing deeply and concentrating on the sounds outside.

"Usssssse the force Luuuuuke…" Weiss whispered in a very bad Darth Vader impression.

Vaughn simply smiled and shone the light over in the corner of the yard, finding Nicole. He turned around and gave Eric a look, Eric smiling and nodding, "Impressive…most impressive…"

Vaughn shone the light over by the bushes, scanning the side and then going back, catching a glimpse of something not very bush-like at all, "Mom…gotcha…"

Amélie smiled and poked her head out, "What tipped you off?"

"Well I figured you'd hide in foliage or flowers…"

Amélie laughed as Vaughn went back to his task, Kaia, Will and Sydney still somewhere in the yard. Vaughn snickered as he saw a form crawling on their belly on the lawn. He moved the light over, but the form rolled out of the way. He moved the light over to the direction they rolled, but the figure had leapt up and out of the way once again. Vaughn followed the movement again, the 'out' crowd now shouting and cheering, all bursting into laughter when Vaughn finally located the target. Will was halfway up the fence, frozen, hanging on painfully. Finally he let go and came back to the group, head hung low.

He walked over to Francie, who offered him a soft smile and gave him a hug, "That was great honey…"

Vaughn looked back at him, "Come on dude – you're one of the last ones – I just have to find Sydney and Kaia yet…and Annie," he added, "Annie's the smallest – I think that's why she's being so hard to find," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, she's a great hider," Weiss offered.

Annie giggled behind Vaughn's chair; innocently oblivious that everyone knew where she was hiding.


	91. Chapter 286: The Recruit

**Chapter 286: The Recruit**

"The parent who gets down on the floor to play with a child on Christmas Day is usually doing a most remarkable thing -- something seldom repeated during the rest of the year. These are, after all, busy parents committed to their work or their success in the larger society, and they do not have much left-over time in which to play with their children." – Brian Sutton-Smith

"If your children look up to you, you've made a success of life's biggest job." – Author Unknown

"The conscience of children is formed by the influences that surround them; their notions of good and evil are the result of the moral atmosphere they breathe." – Ricther

"Age does not make us childish, as some say; it finds us true children." – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

* * *

Vaughn went back to his search, scanning the lawn once again with the flashlight. He was about ready to give up when he caught just a glimpse of something…way IN one of the bushes near the fence. He squinted as the flashlight gradually gave way to the form of a person. "Holy…Kaia?" Vaughn asked, "Are you IN that bush?"

There was a small burst of laughter, "Well…yeah, I was a gymnast…so I kinda…wormed my way in here…but I think I'm kinda stuck…Tom? Can you help me?"

Tom chuckled and walked over to the bush, "I'm not gonna comment baby…" he said as he approached from behind the bush.

"That was a great spot," Vaughn said, clearly impressed.

"Thank you."

Vaughn was clearly puzzled, "Now where is my girl?" he said out loud. The crowd fell into quiet conversation, all trying to look for Sydney as well. He scrunched his forehead in thought, trying to figure out where else she would have gone…where was the best spot? Where would she be most out of sight? "Not on the ground…" he said out loud again. He pointed the flashlight upward, into the large oak tree in the backyard. "Ha…" he said, "Gotcha…"

"I am most impressed Mr. Vaughn," a voice from above said.

Everyone looked up, trying to figure out where Sydney's voice was coming from.

"That was quite a nice deduction…" Sydney said, landing on the ground on her feet and wiping her hands together. She walked over to him and kissed him lightly, "I'm very proud."

"Thank you," Vaughn said with a proud smile. "Now…if I could just find Annie…I think she won this round…"

Sydney smirked as Vaughn turned towards the sound of a small giggle.

"Did you hear that?" Vaughn asked. Everyone came closer. "I swear I heard something…I wonder where that Annie could be…does anyone see her?"

Everyone took off looking around various places in the yard. Vaughn winked at Sydney and then whispered, "Ok…come out now…"

Annie crawled out from behind his chair and stood next to him.

"Well…" he said, "I found her – she came out."

"Where were you snuggle bug?" Tom asked.

"I thought we lost you!" Eric chimed in.

"I was getting worried," Nicole added.

Annie just giggled, flashing a dazzling smile at them, "I was a-hidin…I picked a great spot…"

"Well…you're the winner Annie," Vaughn said with a wink.

"I win!" Annie screamed, "Now do I get to be it?"

"Yes, you do…" Vaughn said nodding.

Annie squealed, "K, where's da flishwight?"

Vaughn chuckled and handed her the flashlight.

She turned it on and then looked at him, "I can't get you out Mictoby…dat wouldn't be fair…" She thought a moment, "You can be my special helperman!"

"Helperman?"

"Yeah! You're da one who can tell me where people are!"

Vaughn smiled, "Ok, I'll be looking out for them."

"K…" she turned to the group, "Ok – go! GO HIDE!"

The group dispersed into the yard as Annie turned back to Vaughn, "You're a-watchin where dere all goin right?"

"Annie…that would be cheating…" he said with a serious look, "But you should go look behind that lawn chair for Fran–I mean Missy Poo…" he said with a wink.

Annie grinned in an innocently evil manner and turned around, "OK! I'M COMIN TO FIND YA!" She ran straight for the chair first, a mini-woman on a mission and screamed, "FOUND YA MISSY POO!"

Francie got up and went over to where Vaughn was, "You told her didn't you."

Vaughn smiled, "Well you were fairly obvious."

Annie turned next to the bushes, seeing movement and ran over with the flashlight beam bouncing wildly all over the yard. "HA!" She yelled, "Found ya Tombelina and Da Queen!" There was a pause, "Hey…whatcha guys doin dere? Did da bush rip Da Queen's shirt?"

Tom cleared his throat as he and Kaia emerged from behind the bushes, "Uhm…yeah…one of the branches did that…" he said with a grin, taking Kaia's hand and walking back to Vaughn with a huge smirk on his face.

Annie turned around in time to see Eric trying to scramble up the tree. "I got you Papa Bear!"  
Weiss came back down, deeply out of breath, "You know…I'm a freaking spy…Syd got up the tree…I should be able to too…" he said walking back to the group shaking his head.

Annie ran across the yard and ran right past Jack, stopped and turned around, looking at him strangely as he stood behind a torch. "Granpa Jack?" Annie said, "how come you hided dere?"

Jack looked down at her, "I'm blending in…"

"Well…" Annie said, trying to let him down easy, "I fink I kinda found your blending…cause ya stuck out too far…"

Vaughn giggled as Jack started to walk back to the group, sharing a smile with him as he crossed his arms and watched as the little girl flew across the lawn on little legs, finding Amélie next behind the grill. "Found you Gramma Amélie!" Amélie came out and smiled at her, "But you hided better den Granpa Jack."

"Thank you Annie," Amélie said, walking back.

"Well of course she found me easier…I didn't have any gear…no visits to Op Tech…and if I would have had mission specs…" he said trailing off.

Amélie patted his arm, "You spy guys are all the same. You can break into buildings in foreign countries, but you can't handle a simple game of hide and seek or tag…"

Annie searched behind the bushes again, and found her mother only a few feet away from where Kaia and Tom had been. "Gotcha mommy!"

Nicole walked back to the group and stood next to Eric, his arm automatically circling her waist. She looked over at Tom and Kaia and they met her gaze. "I was there the whole time," she affirmed. Tom grinned in a purely cocky manner. "And let me tell ya – it wasn't the bushes that did that to Kaia's shirt," she said with a wink.

Eric's mouth dropped open, "I shoulda hid with you! Instead I was trying to get my ass up a tree!"

Nicole kissed his cheek, "Next time…" she pulled him closer, "Maybe next time we'll hop the fence…think you could get your ass over that?"

Eric smirked, "You bet I could…get my ass anywhere for you."

Vaughn turned his attention back to the yard from the adult conversation in time to see Annie chasing after someone who was running skillfully away from her, dodging the light. Then just when Annie was about to nab the runner, they were gone. Vaughn's brow furrowed, scanning as much of the area around Annie as he could see, but he couldn't locate the person she'd been chasing after. She looked just as confused, turning around in full circles to find the person who seemingly disappeared. A bark from the other direction made everyone turn their heads. Annie ran in that direction, the beam of light catching sight of a form crawling on the ground, partially covered by Donovan's form. Will's head popped out, the light tipping him off that he'd been caught. He got up, the dog scurrying away. "What?" he said, "Donovan was helping me out…letting me use him for cover – like a shield…I can be a spy…really…" He walked over to the group as Annie giggled, "You're so funny Willa Poo…"

Annie scanned the yard with the flashlight, "Ok…Squid is out here somewhere…" she said, puzzled that she had not found her yet. She walked over to the tree and pointed the light upward, Vaughn following the path of the beam to see if he would find Sydney in the tree, but he doubted she'd hide in the same place twice.

Annie wasn't ready to give up yet though. She diligently continued searching, covering the whole yard several more times over. Finally, she looked over at Vaughn and came back to his chair with a sigh, "I fink I lost her Mictoby…"

Vaughn smiled sympathetically, "Well Annie, you know, she's a REALLY good hider…I had a lot of – ah!" he said jumping.

"Mictoby?" Annie asked, "You ok?"

Vaughn leaned over as far as he could, "Syd?" He chuckled, "You under there?"

Sydney's head poked out, looking up at Vaughn with a smile and then rolling out from under his chair.

"How the heck did you get under there without me knowing?" he asked.

"I'm a spy…" she said simply with a shrug. She sat down on Vaughn's chair and kissed him.

Annie looked up at her in awe, "You're a REALLY good hider Squid…"

Sydney smiled, "Well, I've had lots of practice, hiding is part of my job…"

Annie's eyes got even wider, "You HIDE in your job!?"

Sydney chuckled, "Sometimes yes…"

"I wanna do dat when I growed up! Can I do dat mommy?" she asked Nicole.

Nicole smiled, "You can do anything you want sweetie."

Annie squealed, "YAY!"

Weiss piped up, "You know Annabanana, I'm a hider too…" he said nodding.

Annie laughed, "You're funny Papa Bear…like Willa Poo…"

"We should go in, it's getting late…and kinda chilly," Sydney said.

As everyone started to walk in the house, Sydney and Vaughn hung back, walking slowly. "You poked me in the ass…" he said, their fingers intertwining as they walked.

Sydney grinned over at him, "You like that?"

"I did…good thing you didn't do it twice…might have had to take the child away…"

Sydney giggled, "The child will be away soon enough…"

"That a promise for later?" he asked as they crossed the threshold into the hallway of the house.

"You bet your…ass it is…" She replied, leaning to kiss him, surprising him when their kiss ended with her biting his lip.

Weiss looked over at them, "Guys…we got a kid in the house…"

Sydney chuckled, taking Vaughn's hand again and leading him to the couch.


	92. Chapter 287: Innocence

**Chapter 287: Innocence**

"Children have neither a past nor a future. Thus they enjoy the present - which seldom happens to us." – Jean De La Bruyere

"If we could raise one generation with unconditional love, there would be no Hitlers. We need to teach the next generation of children from Day One that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind's greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear." – Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

"There are times when God asks nothing of his children except silence, patience and tears." – C. S. Robinson

"It is not that the child lives in a world of imagination, but that the child within us survives and starts into life only at rare moments of recollection, which makes us believe, and it is not true, that, as children, we were imaginative?" – Cesare Pavese

"Grown men can learn from very little children for the hearts of little children are pure. Therefore, the Great Spirit may show to them many things which older people miss." – Black Elk

* * *

Annie promptly placed herself between Vaughn and Sydney when they sat down, cuddling into Vaughn's side. Sydney smiled at him as he put his arm around Annie, the tips of his fingers resting on Sydney's thigh.

Nicole smiled over at them, sitting with Weiss, "You getting tired sweetie?" she asked.

Annie looked at her mother like she was insane, "Mommy…kids never get tired…"

Nicole nodded her head, "Ok if you say so…"

Conversation continued for a few minutes longer when Vaughn cleared his throat and pointed down to Annie who had fallen asleep and wormed her way across both Vaughn and Sydney's laps, her head resting on her hands on Vaughn's lap, her knees pulled up and her feet resting on Sydney.

Nicole smirked, "Kids never get tired…they just pass out…I can take her," she said, about to get up.

Vaughn held his hand up, "She's fine…"

Nicole sat down again, settling back into the conversation. Sydney listened and joined in for a few minutes, but noticed that Vaughn hadn't said much at all. She looked over at him, his gaze fixed on the dark-haired child sleeping on his lap, his hand gently running over the top of her head. She smiled and watched him for a few moments before bringing her own hand to the back of his head, her hand playing with the hair at the base of his neck. He turned his head to look at her, and smiled softly, but then his gaze returned to the child.

Sydney kept her hand where it was, eventually squeezing a little to make him look at her; "You ok?" she asked softly.

He nodded gently as he turned to her once again, "I'm fine."

Sydney let it drop and joined back in the conversation which had turned to, of all things, film. She was privy to her father's declaration, "There hasn't been a decent film since _Casablanca…Gone with the Wind, Journey to the Center of the Earth, To Catch a Thief, Rear Window, Citizen Kane_…that was film at it's height…they had class…stood for something…"

"Romance in movies has gone so down hill," Amélie added, "Why it couldn't have stayed like it was with Fred and Ginger, I'll never know. There was enough sexual chemistry in their dancing…we don't need all this filth that's in movies now…oh and the language," she said shaking her head.

Weiss snorted, "Oh man…you don't want to know my viewing habits then…"

"There's plenty of good entertainment out there now," Will said, "I mean come on – I was raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but I will agree – the classics are great. I love _His Girl Friday_…one of my all time favorites."

"There were some great 80's movies," Francie agreed.

"Oh lord," Will said, rolling his eyes, "here we go…"

"Hey! _Footloose, Dirty Dancing_, those were the greats for me when I was growing up…"

"_The Exorcist_," Weiss said, "changed my life…as did Freddie…and Jason…and let's not forget Mike…"

Vaughn looked up, "What?" he said.

Weiss laughed, "Michael Meyers dude…_Halloween_ – not you…"

"Oh," Vaughn said, looking back down at Annie.

Jack groaned, "Ok, it's late…and I've just lost all respect for Eric, so I'm gonna go home and try to sleep it off so I can work with him tomorrow…" He got up and went over to the couch, kissing Sydney on the cheek, "Night sweetheart."

"Night dad."

"Night Vaughn."

"Night Jack."

Nicole got up as well, "Yeah, we should get her home."

Weiss got up and lifted the sleeping child off of Vaughn's lap, shifting her until she was comfortable on his shoulder. "This was really a lot of fun Mike."

"Yeah it was…thanks for coming. It was really nice to meet you Nicole…Annie's great."

"Yeah, thanks for coming over…it was great meeting you…"

Nicole smiled, "The pleasure was all Annie's…she seems to be quite attached already."

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah you could say that's very mutual."

Nicole nodded knowingly, "We'll have to do this again soon; we really had a great time. Thanks for having us."

Sydney got up and hugged Eric and Nicole, "Anytime…we'll see you soon," she said, walking them to the door.

She turned around to see that Tom and Kaia were also saying their goodbyes to Vaughn.

"You take care now;" Tom said, "I'll call in a few days, check on ya."

"Ok Tom. Night. Night Kaia."

"Night Mike."

Sydney said her goodbyes as well and then went back to the couch. Francie and Will were getting up to get ready for bed and Amélie had already set off to get ready, all of them coming back to say goodnight in a few minutes. She sat down next to Vaughn, "You sure you're ok? You haven't said much since we got back in the house…"

"I'm fine…just thinking," he said, staring off at the wall.

"'Bout what?" she asked, her hand playing with his hair again.

"Just…stuff…"

"What stuff?"

He smiled, "Nothing…it was just fun tonight…people…Annie…"

"Yeah…I had fun too. I'm glad you did too…"

"Yeah I did."

"So why all the thinking?"

"It was just normal…I haven't had normal in so long…makes you think. Annie's great…"

"What's normal Vaughn?" Sydney asked, curious.

He smiled, "I don't mean it like that…I don't mean that like you and I aren't normal or that spending time just with you isn't normal…it's just…aside from you and Will and Francie…and the few visitors that stop in periodically…I generally don't like people at the moment…I mean, I have no desire to see anyone else…"

Sydney leaned closer, listening to him.

"And I know that's probably not healthy…and it's not that people scare me or anything either. I'm not afraid that they're all out to get me, but I just…I have no…" he sighed, "Being around more people, a group…it was just…like I was…"

"Back?"

"Yeah," he said, letting out a breath, happy that she knew what he was trying to say, "Or just that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel…Healing I mean…Kids are so innocent…the way Annie looks at things – it's a refreshing worldview. She has no concept of what happens in the world, and she shouldn't…life just is…it's simple."

Sydney didn't say anything, just waited for him to think. She took his hand, and he looked down at her hand covering his before he looked at her, "You think life will ever be simple again?"

She thought carefully before she answered, "I don't think it's supposed to be…I think that no matter what we do, no matter how 'normal' we try to make things, shit happens…and we can't prevent it, we can't protect everyone…I think if I've learned anything from this, is that I don't have control…and trying to have control over things just makes you angry or bitter…" Her thumb drew gentle patterns on the back of his hand, "And I know you feel like you don't have any control…that you're at the mercy of your body…" she stopped, trailing off. She waited a moment and then started again, "If this had never happened, if we were together and getting married and everything without all of this…I don't think it would make it any easier…when we have kids, there's gonna be plenty we have no control over…it's just part of life…simplicity is for the innocent…but we're adults…we've had our time…"

Vaughn smiled, "I'm not sorry…" She looked at him confused, but he stopped her, "I'm sorry that I keep thinking about this – we've had conversations like this before…but I'm not sorry it happened…I'm not sorry what I've learned from this experience…I just see Annie…and I sometimes want life to be as simple as playing tag with her, not worrying about all the other shit."

Sydney nodded, "I understand, and I think that's what children and other things are for – they remind us what's really important…that a not simple life is worth it – for her…"

"We're gonna have like 12 right?" Vaughn asked with a grin.

Sydney laughed, "12…well…uhm…we'd need a bus Vaughn…maybe we can just start with a few and see where it goes ok?"

"Ok," he agreed. She leaned closer to him, catching his mouth in a kiss before her head rested on his shoulder. "Wanna go try and make a few?" he asked after a few moments of warm silence.

She chuckled, "You bet I do…" she grabbed his hand and helped pull him to his feet. They walked slowly to the bedroom, catching the lights on the way and stepped into the solace of the warm room of safety, shutting the door as they stepped inside.


	93. Chapter 288: Take My Breath Away

**Chapter 288: Take My Breath Away**

_"Watching every motion  
In my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean  
Finally lovers know no shame  
Turning and returning  
To some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion  
As you turn around and say_

Take my breath away  
Take my breath away

Watching I keep waiting  
Still anticipating love  
Never hesitating  
To become the fated ones  
Turning and returning  
To some secret place to hide  
Watching in slow motion  
As you turn to me and say

Take my breath away  
Take my breath away" – "Take My Breath Away" – Berlin

"This is my December this is my time of the year  
This is my December this is all so clear  
This is my December this is my snow covered home  
And I'd  
Give it all away just to have somewhere to go to  
Give it all away to have someone to come home to" – "My December" – Linkin Park

"It was the greatest of the imperfect ventriloquist acts: when his lips moved, her body sang." – Tom Robbins

"But then there's a moment like tonight, a profound and transcendent experience, the feeling as if a door has opened, and it's all because of that instrument, that incredible, magical instrument." – Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider

"The words that a father speaks to his children in the privacy of home are not heard by the world, but, as in whispering galleries, they are clearly heard at the end, and by posterity." – Ricther

* * *

"You're going to make a great father Vaughn…" Sydney said as he sat down on the bed.

He stopped and looked at her, beaming, "Thank you…"

She nodded and came over to him, kneeling in between his legs, "I mean it…seeing you with Annie tonight…beautiful…" she touched his cheek, letting him lean into it before he pressed a kiss into her palm.

"You're beautiful…" He pressed another kiss into her hand, then her wrist, "You're going to be the best mother…and the most beautiful…"

She blushed, her dimples lighting up her already dazzling smile. She stood and slowly removed her shirt,

letting it fall in a wavy pattern to the floor. She unbuttoned her shorts and let them slide to the floor, making only a slight sound as she stepped out of them and flung them away with her foot. She leaned over and removed his shirt, letting her nails rake over his chest as she discarded the cotton over her head. She stood to remove his shorts, but he moved her closer, pressing his lips to her abdomen.

She smiled and shivered, threading her hands in his hair as his mouth worked, fluttering wet kisses all over her whole abdomen. A moan escaped as she felt his tongue dart into navel, the skin chilling as the air hit the moist skin.

She moved his head back, taking it in both of her hands and leaned down capturing his skillful mouth with hers, and leaned him back on the bed. She followed him until his head hit the comforter and then she stood again, freeing him of the shorts and the boxers underneath. He put his right hand behind his head, propping it up as he watched her remove her intricate, matching lace bra and panties. His gaze clouded more as she looked down at him with a sly smile.

She crawled back on the bed, straddling his stomach and planted herself just above where his erection was rapidly enlarging. She framed his body with her hands, her hair falling down over her shoulders and onto his face as she leaned over to kiss him. He loved when her hair fell that way, shrouding them both from the world. When her lips made contact with his, the hand his head was resting on moved to her back, joining the other, rubbing over the smooth and silky skin.

He surprised her when he rolled them the to the right until they were on their sides. Her hand came to rest on his cheek, smiling at him, and asking with her eyes if this was really a good idea.

His answer was a soft and meaningful kiss, telling her that he could handle this position.

She nodded and put her legs over his, pulling him closer to her, his erection trapped between them. She reached down and stroked him while he explored her mouth with his tongue. Even with both of their eyes closed, she knew the path of his body, knew the caresses and pressures that would make him moan. She smiled through their kisses as he did just that, the feeling of her hands manipulating him proving too much to keep silent.

He broke the kiss and bent his head down, her movements trapping him there as she leaned into the intoxicatingly smooth feel of his kisses on her neck, contrasting with his slightly rougher tongue, scraping against her collarbone as he moved downward. Her hand tightened on his velvety shaft and her other hand gripped at the back of his neck for something to hold onto as his fingers tweaked her taut and oversensitive nipples. Her own moans mingled with his as they both got lost momentarily in the sensations the other was providing.

She pressed her lower half into him as his hand closed around her achingly full breast, squeezing gently. She was forced to hang onto him again when his head once again delved lower, this time taking the peak in his mouth, gently alternating between suckling and nipping at her swollen bud. While his mouth did delicious things to that nipple, making it tighten to an even harder pebble, his other hand repeated the attention it had given to its twin.

Sydney's voice came out whisper quiet, "God…Vaughn…please…" she begged, her hands roaming his chest, her core dripping and throbbing with desire, "I need you in me now…please…"

Vaughn smiled in a lustful pride. He kept his hands on her, but brought his head up to recapture her lips in a searing kiss, the heat from their breaths flushing both of their faces to an even more intense inflamed level. He trailed one warm and silky hand feather-light down between her breasts, over her stomach, stopping at the start of the unruly curls. He fluttered his hand through the curls, never losing eye contact with her, his gaze mesmerizing; she could look nowhere else. Her eyes were forced closed and her hands flexed on his chest once his finger skid across her clit. He smiled, knowing she would have liked him to spend more time on that spot, but he'd return there later. He kept his diligent path, his fingers deftly parting her as one finger pushed inside her wet warmth. He swirled it inside, her legs parting more for him unconsciously.

"You ready for me?" he asked in a tone much lower than his normal voice.

She slowly opened her eyes, seeing the familiar passion-drugged gleam in his that she knew mirrored her own. She nodded slowly, her mouth searching for his, her tongue swirling in his mouth in the same pattern that his finger was inside her. He withdrew the finger much to the displeasure of Sydney, who pulled away from the kiss. He smirked at her and put the finger in his unoccupied mouth.

"Turn around…" he grunted.

Sydney looked at him strangely.

"Turn around," he repeated, moving his legs so she had room to turn, "I want you to face that way," he said pointing in the direction away from him.

Sydney grinned and did as he asked, turning so her back was to him. She had no idea what he was up to, and waited in an impatient anticipation, her need still throbbing wildly between her legs, the idea of not knowing his plan only serving to make the throbbing more intense.

She was about to turn and ask him why she was made to turn over when she felt an arm around her stomach and felt him pull her back to him so they were skin to skin. The hand splayed out on her stomach, holding her to him as the other arm wormed it's way under her head. She turned back to look at him, feeling his leg part hers and his hand momentarily leave her stomach to sling her left leg over his. He turned back to her, a seductive smile playing on his lips and stole a quick kiss before she felt his fingers enter her once again. Her body arched backward, her head falling back onto his shoulder in an awkward, yet comfortable posture. Once the gasp had tore it's way out, she kissed along his jaw line as he inserted another finger inside her.

She gasped when she felt the third, and then all the air left her lungs when the fingers were expertly and easily replaced with his own engorged and fiery desire, burying himself to the hilt in one long thrust. She arched away from him impulsively, the angle and the penetration deliciously piercing through her. He caught her, the hand on her stomach again, and pulled her back, holding her to him, his cock buried deeply inside. He took a minute for the initial sensations to pass, his breath coming out in short pants, feeling her hand on his neck and her own misty breath on his cheek.

When she let out a long moan, he smiled and pulled out almost all the way, holding onto her as he drove himself back inside, pushing all the way back in. This time, instead of arching away, she pushed back, grinding herself against him. He was caught somewhat off guard, not expecting her to accept the rhythm that quickly, but he quickly adjusted, moving his hand away from her stomach, and gently lifting her leg upward as he thrust. Instantly, the moans turned into much more, louder and repetitive, distinct small cries in time with his thrusting. They varied in pitch, low and growl-like to shrill and piercing when he hit a particularly sensitive spot inside her enveloping walls. His favorite was when they started out low and slowly made their way to the sharper cries. His smile widened every time she did that one.

He varied the tempo of his thrusts with the angle of her leg. It was fairly evident she was completely lost in bliss, her body completely at his disposal, her leg listless in his hand, forming to any angle he saw fit. He put the bottom of his other leg over hers, making sure she kept that one completely straight. She fussed somewhat when she realized it was trapped, he keeping it stationary because it made the sensations near unbearable and completely insane. There was nowhere for her to go, no place she could move that he wasn't hitting an incredibly wonderful spot. She felt like she was in one constant orgasm and she hadn't even come once yet.

His name began to be intertwined with her litany of grunts and moans, but he wasn't sure she was praising him or cursing him for not letting her have any control over where he was thrusting. He switched angles again and hitched her knee in the crook of his elbow, bringing her leg up farther that it had been all 

night. He was fairly certain the curses stopped then, and his name became synonymous with 'God.' He smirked as he plunged deeply, the head of his cock scraping against her front wall for the millionth time that night. She threw her head back as he hit her g-spot over and over and over. The hand that was not currently pulling at his hair was firmly gripping the sheets, the tension and build-up and the constant presence of one very delightful tumescent shaft hitting succulent spots was rapidly becoming too much for one girl to take.

She was humming, once continuous harmony that she was sure was going to erupt any moment, the heat and the muscles fluttering in a guaranteed pre-orgasmic haze. Then suddenly, the fluttering stopped, the feelings flittered along the edges, and she realized that Vaughn had stopped. She tried to bring herself back to reality, becoming worried that he'd been too energetic in his new exploit. Her eyes flew back to look at him, but he was just watching her.

"Vaughn?" she asked, her voice gravelly and shaky, skimming the edge of ecstasy but not being allowed to crash through the surface.

He smiled, just resting inside her, the tip almost ready to slip out.

"Wha?" she asked, taking in gulps of air.

A mysterious glint hung on the edges of his darkened jade eyes as he slipped slowly back inside, the head resting at her cervix. Her eyes slipped closed again and then snapped open when she heard, "Is this how we're going to make the first one?"

Her breath caught in her throat, a shivering inhale of what used to be breath, and she could feel the tears starting to brim as she looked back at him. "Michael…"

"Shhh…" he said, bringing his finger to her lips and gently starting to thrust again. He smiled and plunged back inside her, picking up the pace of his thrusts. She couldn't stop the feelings that arose again, the feverish height of her waiting orgasm rising quickly as he resumed the same angle that had brought her to the precipice only a short time ago.

With the emotions of that simple sentence added to her overloaded senses, the orgasm washed over her like endless waves on a beach, his well placed thrusting making the climax seem to last forever. She wondered if this tide would ever subside, and then she felt the rush of the ocean once again in full force as he came with her, shuddering deep in her walls, his muscles rippling and tensing, surrendering to his own cresting swell and she was lost in the tumultuous currents again as the delight rocketed through her. Sydney latched onto his arm, both breathing heavily as he eased the leg down he had held up for so long. He wrapped his arms protectively around her, and she burrowed closer as he still lay gently spurting inside her. Her body seemed smaller to him then, enclosed in this safe space, and he realized that he wanted to protect her even more now than ever before. His future was lying in his arms, and eventually, there would be other people his arms would have to protect. Sydney would provide the safety for the child before it was born and when it arrived, he would be responsible for keeping them all safe. He wanted nothing more than to protect his future and the woman responsible for it.

"I love you…" he said quietly, his mouth right next to her ear.

Sydney turned her head to look up at him, "Michael…I love you too…so much…"

Vaughn burrowed his head into the back of her neck, breathing her in. "You think that's really how we'll make the first one?"

He could feel her smile, "I don't know…I think we'll know when it happens though…"

"When do you think it will?"

"When it's right…"

Vaughn smiled, "Yeah…it'll always be right. It's always in love…"

Sydney turned in his embrace, making him slip out in the process, which he let her know he disapproved of with a small groan. She smiled and pulled on his hand, indicating he should come with her. She pulled the covers back and settled into the bed, retaking her position, but facing him this time, swinging her leg over his and putting his semi-hard cock back where it belonged. She smiled and caressed his cheek before kissing him lightly and then burrowing her head under his and pressing a kiss into his chest as well.

"Night Syd…"

"Night Vaughn…"


	94. Chapter 289: Don Juan

**Chapter 289: Don Juan**

_"TAKE, v.t. To acquire, frequently by force but preferably by stealth." – Ambrose Bierce_

"DAWN: Sorry, it's just ... come on. I'm badder than you.  
SPIKE: Are not!  
DAWN: Am too. You're standing in the bushes hugging a bent box of chocolates, and I'm-  
SPIKE: What? Sneaking out to braid hair and watch Teletubbies with your mates?" – Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Joss Whedon

"HARMONY: I'm not going to make the same mistakes you did. I'm doing my homework. Reading books and stuff.  
SPIKE: What, Evil for Dummies?" – Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Joss Whedon

"Spike Looking down at the scene unfolding in the Alley: '(High voice) How can I thank you, you mysterious, black-clad hunk of a night thing? (Low voice) No need, little lady, your tears of gratitude are enough for me. You see, I was once a badass vampire, but love and a pesky curse defanged me. Now I'm just a big, fluffy puppy with bad teeth. No, not the hair! Never the hair! (High voice) But there must be someway I can show my appreciation. (Low voice) No, helping those in need's my job, and working up a load of sexual tension, and prancing away like a magnificent poof is truly thanks enough! (High voice) I understand. I have a nephew who is gay, so (Low voice) Say no more. Evil's still afoot and I'm almost out of that Nancy-boy hair-gel that I like so much. Quickly, to the Angelmobile, away!'" – Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Joss Whedon

**Cue Mike Hammer Theme  
****(DOWNLOAD TO HEAR THE THEME – THIS ADDRESS SHOULD TAKE YOU THERE) ****/sounds/themes/Television/F-H/hammer1.wav**

* * *

_'I'm on a mission…and by the looks of things…a very important one…'_

'I've always been a loner type…never one much for a steady relationship…I've had my share of honeys, don't get me wrong, but a lot of times…I fall in with the wrong kind of woman…'

'I knew the minute she walked through the door this relationship would end badly…'

'Yup, saw it right from the start, some five years ago when we first met…'

'As I make my way to the kitchen this morning, we have another confrontation…she's standing, leaning over the stove in her yellow sundress…she sees me…although she won't let me know it yet…this is the game we play you see…'

"You're worse than Will…" she says.

_'I do not reply, but I move out from behind the counter and look at her. Maybe…if I stay here long enough, I'll win this round…'_

She shakes her head, "Boys…you're all the same…" she says.

_'I do not let this remark offend me…it's all in fun. I cock my head to the side and try to give her my best cute face…luckily for me…this is not difficult.'_

She smiles…

_'Oh yes, I can see her caving in already…I move closer and my tongue starts to salivate…'_

She leans down and pats my head, setting a lovely strip of bacon on the floor for me. I greedily dig into it 

and then look up at her again, whining softly.

She smiles once more and caves.

_'She's even easier than the one who takes care of my human! I've won this round! Oh…I think Vaughn-human will be very pleased with breakfast today, since I've sampled it myself…and we do share an affinity for bacon…'_

'Speaking of my human…I better go check up on him…gotta make sure he's doing alright this morning…'

'Damn…door's closed…sometimes they do this…shut me out…I think it's to protect me…but I know what goes on…cause I've been in there…and let me tell you – it's nothing like what I did at the park yesterday…that was a good time…she was a hot lil poodle…Fifi was her name…I sure hope that the big funny human takes me back there…of course…he'll have to ask the one who owns him – she's pretty nice too…and she can cook very well…she sneaks me food sometimes…'  
'I bet if I scratch at the door, someone will come and open it…when I lived at the other one's house, if I scratched at the door, sometimes I got pizza and beer…pizza man was fun…but I like it here better…my human's owner is nice to me…and she takes very good care him…we've been through a lot together…'

'I finally sit down outside the door, I don't want to disturb them if they are still sleeping today…my human's owner, she tells me to be quiet sometimes so he can rest…and he couldn't play with me or go running for a while…but he's getting better now and I can't wait until he and his new owner can take me to the park…maybe Fifi will be there…I liked her…'

'I decide that maybe I can listen and see if I can hear Vaughn and his owner…I lay down on the floor and press my ear closely…'

"Mmm…"

"Mmmmmm…"

Vaughn smiled and kissed Sydney again, littering her face with butterfly kisses.

She hummed softly again, wiggling her nose. Vaughn did all he could not to laugh, but when he kissed her nose and she swatted at it like there had been a bug there, he had to chuckle. She burrowed closer to him, moving her face out of his kissing range, but leaving her shoulder fully exposed. He took full advantage of that and nipped gently at the exposed skin, making his way over to her neck. Her humming turned much more sexual in moaning sounds as she woke slowly to feel Vaughn's mouth on her.

"Vaughn…mmmmmmm…."

He chuckled as she moved back, yawning, and kissed her as the yawn was ending. Her eyes stayed closed until they parted the kiss. "That was a nice way to wake up…"

"Yeah…for me too – cept when you swatted at me…"

"What?"

"I kissed your nose and you swatted at me."

She giggled, "I did?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry."

"S'ok…you can make up for it later."

_'I hear voices! I think they're awake! Good! Maybe we can play!'_

'I'm waiting patiently…but they're not letting me in! I have to scratch…maybe a lil bit of whining too…come on! I need love too!'

"Donovan knows we're up," Vaughn said.

Sydney smiled, "Yes I can hear that…I better let him in before he claws a hole in our door…"

Sydney grabbed her robe and went over to the door, opening it slightly to let Donovan in. The little dog started squeezing through the little space when the door was scarcely open and scampered over to the bed before he jumped up and planted himself next to Vaughn.

_'Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! You're up! You're finally up! I've missed you!'_

Sydney chuckled as she shut the door again and came back to the bed, watching Donovan's little tail wag in excitement. She lay down on the other side of Donovan and he happily switched to give her a morning welcome as well.

_'I love you guys…oh yes…pet me…pet me! I'm SO the center of attention…'_

"Looks like somebody missed you," Sydney said as Donovan went back to licking Vaughn.

"Yeah he's a good dog…"

_'You bet your ass I'm a good dog…'_

The phone ringing momentarily took the attention off of Donovan.

_'Hey…pet me!'_

"Hello?" Sydney answered.

"Uhm…yes…hello…my name is Dave McMillin, I'm not sure I have the right number, but I'm looking for Michael Vaughn."

"May I ask why?"

Vaughn looked over at her strangely.

"Oh…I'm sorry, I'm his landlord…over at Lexington Park Apartments…"

"Oh, ok…yeah he's right here…" Sydney said, handing Vaughn the phone.

"Hello?"

"Michael?"

"Yes…"

"This is Dave McMillin…"

"Oh hi…what's up?"

"Hi…I haven't seen you…"

"No…I was…out of town for quite a while…how did you get this number?"

"Well you work for the state department, so I've been calling…they said you weren't reachable…finally after calling for a few weeks, I got through and they told me you would be at this number. There was a guy here asking about your mail…he was gonna take it to you he said, but I wouldn't let him – you know it's a federal offense to take someone else's mail."

"Yes, I know. Do you know who it was?"

"He said he worked with you…uhm…something with a W I think…"

"Weiss?"

"Yeah that was it."

"Yes, he's a friend and a co-worker."

"Ok…well I'm still not supposed to give him your mail."

"That's ok…I suppose there's a lot of it?"

"There's quite a stack yeah."

"Probably all bills," Vaughn said smirking at Sydney.

"I'm not sure, I get a lot of those…"

"Ok…uhm…hang on a second Dave."

Vaughn covered the receiver; "Dave is holding my mail hostage because it's a federal offense to give it to Weiss."

Sydney laughed, "We can go get it."

Vaughn moved the phone back, "Dave, I'll stop by later to pick it up, ok?"

"Ok, that sounds good…I'll see you then."

"Bye."

Vaughn handed Sydney the phone as Donovan wriggled himself under Vaughn's hand again.

_'Ok you're off the phone – now pet me! I'm so cute…loooooooook see how cute I am?'_

"Maybe we should move some of my stuff here…" Vaughn said after a few minutes petting Donovan.

Sydney propped her head on her hand and smiled at him, "I think that's a great idea…or we could move all your stuff here…not just some of it…"

Vaughn looked up at her, "You think Francie and Will would mind that?"

"Might entice Will to move all his shit here too," Sydney said smiling, "Not sure if Francie is ready for that, but we'd just be storing most of your stuff here…it'll fit in the basement."

"We should ask her though."

Sydney smiled, "We can do that."

"Kinda silly to keep paying the…wait…" he stopped, looking at Sydney again, "who's paying the rent there?"

Sydney chuckled, "I think that's all part of your leave. CIA takes care of that. Part of the package."

"Huh…"

Sydney smiled, "What?"

"Well if I would have known that was all it took to get rent free…"

Sydney chuckled, "Right."

"You sure about this?"

"Vaughn, we're looking into real estate…I think we can have your stuff here."

He nodded.

"I think your mom is making breakfast…we should probably get out there pretty soon."

"Ok." Vaughn moved to sit up, "Come on Donovan…maybe mom'll sneak you some more bacon."

Donovan barked and trotted off the bed, waiting impatiently by the door.

_'I know you're not in top shape yet, but hurry up! It's BACON!'_


End file.
